2.4 Indigenous music in education
2.4.2 Related findings from other continents
The cyclic characteristics of the songs and dancers as they come in the dance and leave as they wish, encourages freedom of participation which results in motivation to learn since the style is not condemnatory nor intimidating;
A relaxed atmosphere makes learners easily ask where they do not understand;
Teaching and learning orally and kinaesthetically through imitation and improvisation, which is characteristic of „ngoma‟ makes learning easier;
The use of apprenticeship in „ngoma‟ education is effective since it addresses concepts holistically, hence saving time but empowering learners with the interrelatedness of musical concepts.
Mans‟ study has guided the researcher in planning learning activities which are guided by holism and rote learning principles, as seen in how songs are introduced in the classroom situation ( p. 97) in this study.
order to open learning activities for accessibility by other audience, English translations of songs could be employed. Teachers should further furnish students with cultural information about the songs to highlight their significance, such as their social significance, functions and characteristics. Campbell further addresses the need for consideration of song selection such as simple structure, simple tonal and temporal elements. Rhythms, melodies and expressive elements such as form, texture, timbre and dynamics could then be extracted from the songs for music teaching. All in all Campbell‟s approach is indispensable because she has proved that any music type irrespective of simplicity, triviality or antiquity may be accommodated in music education. Campbell‟s work validates his study, as it is geared towards using children‟s music, which is characterized by simplicity, nonsensicality and triviality.
Young-Youn Kim (1995) collected analysed and applied traditional Korean children‟s songs in Korean pre-primary schools. In her problem statement she noted that Korean schools were plagued by the use of western songs such as, London bridge; Ring around the Rosie, to mention a few, which do not have any meaning and inferences to Korean pupils. She also noted teachers‟ tendency to teach through the western inclined way, due to availability of western music biased sources. She finds this incongruent with Korean education policy, which suggests a need for culture relevant pedagogy. She noted that traditionally Korean music was ceremonial rather than artistic, supplementary for the ritual process of government affairs unlike in the west. On the other hand she observed that due to current teachers‟
rigorous training in western music such as theory and history, ear training, and instrumental performance, teachers often lack minimal knowledge of Korean traditional music. As such, with her launch of Korean children‟s songs she wishes to make Korean children, parents and the entire society aware of their indigenous cultural and musical traditions, on the basis of which they could learn other music from across the globe. Like Simako (2008), Young Kim‟s study analysed song characteristics, text, and musical elements such as duration, tonality and scales. In her findings Young Kim noted that Korean children‟s songs use Asian pentatonic and diatonic scales, duple meter, common form being AAA, AAB or AA‟B. She noted further that the songs are more than eight measures in length and span less than an octave.
Finally her study culminated in applying the songs in the educational set up.
In her recommendations Young Kim suggested the use of her song collection in kindergatern schools, but suggested that they should be based on musical literary characteristics and learners‟ developmental levels. She further categorized the songs according to activities such
as movements, games and other playful activities. Finally accompaniments such as percussion instruments, listening guides, creative play such as drama and drawings were suggested to illustrate the educative value of the songs. The researcher concluded by highlighting the need for large scale collection of indigenous children‟s songs not only in Korea but world-wide, for cultural preservation and transmission to future generation.
Young Kim‟s research validates this study because it shows clearly that its rationale is shared by other educationists around the world. This makes the study timely especially in the Botswana situation where none of the studies have considered children‟s music from the same vantage point.
According to de Quadros (1993), Australia has shown a spectacular increase in the number of Indian communities recorded among the top three non-European sources of new migrants in 1996. He argues for inclusion of Indian music in Australian music curriculum. This suggests that the content materials and methods have to reflect all Australian cultures, whether brought up in Australia or not. The author questions what could have caused the delay in the inclusion of a diversity of musics which reflect the multicultural Australian society. He attributes part of the challenge as emanating from Indian music‟s rhythmic and melodic complexity and its rare occurrence in general music making. He further observes the aural nature of its transmission as having an impact on the delay of its inclusion in schools, since teachers are compelled to rely on recordings instead of scores common to Western Europe.
From his research, de Quadros noted that Indian music can be classified into several genres such as classical, folk, religious, tribal, contemporary and popular music. He then wonders why the music is not recognized like African music which, according to him, has currently attracted massive scholarly attention, since it is currently being used for facilitating classroom musical concepts in most countries. The author further observes a notable emergence on the publication of Indian music for application in the classroom and for choral ensembles, but he is disillusioned by a compromise in pedagogical Standards. The medium used for capturing the music e.g. western notation worries him, because he believes that notation might temper with original sound event. Consequently he argues that transcription should always be paired with explanations such as the context, maps, instruments, English translation and the music‟s pedagogical process, to aid teachers in the teaching and learning process. This sentiment is shared by the researcher because he also handled transcription and application of Tswana
children‟s songs in Botswana primary schools, in the similar manner. The author ended by exemplifying what should form the procedure for indigenous song teaching in Australian schools e.g. by using the song Gopi Ki Nati he proposed the following song teaching procedure:
1. Teach the melody by rote using vocal syllables then teach the text by rote and add the text to the melody;
2. Teach each of the drum rhythms using rhythm syllables (bols) and introduce the concept of a variety of simultaneous ostinati;
3. Transfer the drum, tambourine and finger cymbals to body percussion;
4. Speak the text with the body percussion rhythms in ostinati and sing the song with each of the three drum parts;
5. Sing the song with all percussion parts played on appropriate instruments;
6. Develop a piece where the A section consists of the song material and B improvises using pitch and rhythms derived from A material.
De Quadros‟ principle concurs with the current efforts of inclusion of African music in schools as already indicated in numerous educationists acknowledged in this study. It also places the researcher‟s study in the limelight as it is also similarly principled in the inclusion of indigenous music in Botswana primary schools.
All in all, the cited educationists converge on considering children‟s background as a point of departure for designing music activities. They also perceive usage of local materials as a more appropriate approach than the readily made curriculum, which does not consider factors such as environment or individual difference. Their approaches also conform to African traditional pedagogy because they emphasise group and practical approach. They also emphasise teaching learners within the confines of what they are being educated for. As it is evident from the above analysed sources, the essence of this study is not only validated by the massive scholarship which it resonates with, but also that it is grounded on the current educational philosophical paradigms, such as multicultural education and praxial philosophy.
Multicultural philosophy is premised on the fact that there is diversity in unity. Campbell (1991) endorses this philosophy by asserting that music from different cultures should be taught in an „authentic‟ manner. Praxial contenders (as seen in Elliott, 1995; Regelski, 1998) posit that the reality, meaning and value of music can never be intrinsic or universal but lies in what is socially situated and culturally mediated.
CHAPTER 3