Traditional African Music Essays -- Musical Traditions Essays Papers

Traditional African MusicAn attempt to pin down a single meaning for the word traditional, presents a problem in many ways. The implications of the word be many, and are tied to various connotations. Some people, Westerners in particular, whitethorn actually shun the traditional, as they feel that it implies a resistance to modernity. This view is incorrect, and there exists an ethnocentric double standard when Westerners consider their tradition versus African tradition. Others think on tradition as that which has always been done, for whatever reason, and that it must be continued to maintain the community, a universal balance, a relationship with the gods, or some other(a) goal. Africa and its people contribute experienced many hardships over the course of history, from colonization to current attempts at development. Oppression, forced enslavement or other forms of brutality have been constant threats. These dangers have helped create a stronger African identity in many sense s. Difficult times bring out in humans a desire to cling to that which is known and familiar, as everything else seems to spiral out of control. As many slaves journeyed across the Middle Passage, for example, they disregarded language and ethnic barriers, and collaborated to make medicament as an escape from the horrors of their circumstances, in order to create a tie to the homeland. Groups such as the Tumbuka and Dagbamba have also done this. They have managed to retain a strong identity, partially due to the continued use of musical practices paradoxically, this has tied them to ancestral practices, but also made the transition to modernity easier. In dealings with societies where that which is modern is completely foreign and different from customary, holdin... ... Instead, it is multifaceted and complex. Contrary to what many believe, the retention of traditional practices and a transition to a modern state are not mutually exclusive. The role that tradition and customary b ehavior and practice play in society depends heavily on the situation and the individual reckon of the importance of maintaining traditional musical practices, the value placed on time and its rationing, and the possible symbiotic relationship between the modern and the traditional. The analysis of how these three ostensibly unrelated concepts interact with each other forms a basis for understanding the extent to which ?traditional? musical elements will be accepted or spurned by a particular society. ?Tradition? does not entail backwardness or inability to react to changes, but rather a continued prize for those who came before and their way of life.