The African Philosophy of Indigenous Music Education

The African perspective of music education in general addresses the holistic, integrated cultural approach of music education as opposed to that based on the individual elements and concepts as is more common in the West. Africans base music creativity and practice on a series of concepts that bear specific indigenous methods of execution. African education is practical, aural-oral, and informal. It demonstrates logic and a systematic philosophy in music creativity and performance that is based on listening and observation as pivotal elements of acquiring the basic skills.

Written composition, oral composition, and improvisation inspire expression and creativity. Ugandans, however, feel that music education within schools should transmit the cultural contexts and music methods specific to Africa. According to Flolu (2000), “Africa-sensitive education denotes the natural, political, social, and cultural growth arising from acting and interacting with the environment which consists of groups and individuals within the community” (pp. 25-29).

In rural Uganda, where much of music composition happens, knowledge is perceived to be in one’s head rather than residing in books. Instruction is therefore achieved through immersive participation rather than through the presentation of abstract concepts. Transmission, and ultimately perception, is achieved by doing rather than by reading about an idea or experience. Flolu (2005) asserts that “African education referred to here is aural-oral and mostly informal . . . listening and observation interwoven by memory remain the key elements of acquiring the basic skills of social adjustment” (in Herbst, pp. 109).

According to Kigozi (2008), the African perspective “refers to philosophical models that are based on African concepts and aesthetics other than those that are practiced in Europe and America. The philosophy addresses the integrated and holistic approach of the musical arts in education as opposed to individual music elements and concepts out of context” (pp. 26). Conversely, Nzewi (2003) asserts that the “arts discipline of music, drama, poetry and costume arts are seldom separated in creative thinking and performance practice . . . in the African indigenous musical arts milieu” (p. 13). Music, dance, poetry, drama should not be separated in education, but integrated with composition and performance.

As performances happen during social events, what is music and what is not music is usually unclear as the musical elements are experienced and heard together in daily life (Mbabi-Katana, 1972 in Kigozi, 2008). Musical engagements involve genealogies, mythologies, proverbs, legends, oral history, dance, drama, and speech; all are embodied in a composition and its subsequent performance. Given the complex intertwining of culture and music-making, teaching practices in Uganda are yet to effectively incorporate indigenous music composition into general instruction. To offer a composition pedagogy that is authentic to oral traditions, music composition must be transmitted in context, with a proper frame of reference, and must apply the approaches specific to Uganda—and by extension, African practice (Kigozi, 2008).