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Toccarra
Thomas Mary Jo Arnoldi, Ph.D.
"By being at NMNH I not only received great training in ethnographic filmmaking, but I also was exposed to the knowledge of other sciences through the RTP lectures and tours that will aid in making me a stronger anthropologist." |
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Musicianship
in Modern Mali: social and political influences In 1960, the West African country of Mali gained independence from French colonial rule. The new socialist government of President Modibo Keita invested heavily in young people's participation in music and theater as an important arena for creating a new modern society. Modernizing the society involved honoring pre-colonial history and cultural heritage as authentically Malian, while simultaneously deconstructing and undercutting certain traditional practices such as the gerontocracy and the caste system. Mali's traditional musical landscape, once heavily shaped by caste rules, was redefined. During government-sponsored festivals, young people from every caste were offered the opportunity to become musical performers. This research focused on field investigations at the 37th Annual Folklife Festival held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and analyzed the ways that three contemporary music groups speak about the authenticity of their music, and the ways that each group consciously places themselves on a continuum between "tradition and modernity". The research sought to place the groups/singers along a continuum between tradition and modernity within Malian social structure. Investigation concentrated on interviews with three singers/groups: Neba Solo, Tartit, and Miriam Bagayoko. Data gathered included biographies, attitudes towards their music, notion of different audiences and performances contexts, and their aspirations as musicians. This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Award Number DBI-02435123. |