Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa

Faculty of Humanities School of Humanities and Social Sciences 0215594h ameck98@yahoo.com === Music has always played an important role in the lives of mankind; the quest for freedom by black people across the world is a typical example. During the days of slavery and later the civil rights str...

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Main Author: Ameck, Gillian Ayong
Format: Others
Language:en
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10539/1778
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spelling ndltd-netd.ac.za-oai-union.ndltd.org-wits-oai-wiredspace.wits.ac.za-10539-17782019-05-11T03:40:24Z Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa Ameck, Gillian Ayong Music Conflict Transformation Social Intergration South Africa Faculty of Humanities School of Humanities and Social Sciences 0215594h ameck98@yahoo.com Music has always played an important role in the lives of mankind; the quest for freedom by black people across the world is a typical example. During the days of slavery and later the civil rights struggle in the US, the struggle for independence by African states and the fight against Apartheid, music was used as an instrument of resistance. Through music, black South Africans emerged from conscious and subconscious subjugation to rescue their psyche from alienation. Today they express their cultural self-confidence in ways very different from the generations with firsthand experience of apartheid. Conflict has always been an important contributor to music of resistance. Over the past hundred years, however, violent attempts by men to dominate each another have intensified (The two Great Wars and the Cold War, genocides, ethnic and religious clashes). In this same vein, so too have efforts to thwart such attempts. Conflicts exist at all levels, within and between individuals, communities, nations and cultures. For a society still in the process of transformation, conflict in South Africa has also taken a new dimension with focus now on social conflict (for example Crime, drugs, poverty and the generation gap) in the field of daily life also including racial conflict, affirmative action, ethnic conflict, economic conflict and others with less and less focus on political conflict. The benefit of post- 1994 South Africa is the freedom of expression it offers. This is a freedom that, 20 years ago, was a luxury for blacks living in a country torn apart by apartheid; a freedom to have pride in themselves, a freedom to express their cultural selfconfidence. The first place this freedom became visible was on the music scene in the form of new infectious, irresistible form of dance and music. Musicians use their music as a medium to demonstrate most of these societal conflicts that exist in South Africa. Peace researchers, peace workers, and others have worked over several decades to promote an alternative culture and an alternative approach to dealing with conflicts – one based on recognising the positive, constructive, and creative opportunities available in any conflict situation. In this regard I would like to dwell on music as a creative way of dealing with conflict. 2006-11-16T09:11:50Z 2006-11-16T09:11:50Z 2006-11-16T09:11:50Z Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10539/1778 en 421327 bytes application/pdf application/pdf
collection NDLTD
language en
format Others
sources NDLTD
topic Music
Conflict
Transformation
Social Intergration
South Africa
spellingShingle Music
Conflict
Transformation
Social Intergration
South Africa
Ameck, Gillian Ayong
Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
description Faculty of Humanities School of Humanities and Social Sciences 0215594h ameck98@yahoo.com === Music has always played an important role in the lives of mankind; the quest for freedom by black people across the world is a typical example. During the days of slavery and later the civil rights struggle in the US, the struggle for independence by African states and the fight against Apartheid, music was used as an instrument of resistance. Through music, black South Africans emerged from conscious and subconscious subjugation to rescue their psyche from alienation. Today they express their cultural self-confidence in ways very different from the generations with firsthand experience of apartheid. Conflict has always been an important contributor to music of resistance. Over the past hundred years, however, violent attempts by men to dominate each another have intensified (The two Great Wars and the Cold War, genocides, ethnic and religious clashes). In this same vein, so too have efforts to thwart such attempts. Conflicts exist at all levels, within and between individuals, communities, nations and cultures. For a society still in the process of transformation, conflict in South Africa has also taken a new dimension with focus now on social conflict (for example Crime, drugs, poverty and the generation gap) in the field of daily life also including racial conflict, affirmative action, ethnic conflict, economic conflict and others with less and less focus on political conflict. The benefit of post- 1994 South Africa is the freedom of expression it offers. This is a freedom that, 20 years ago, was a luxury for blacks living in a country torn apart by apartheid; a freedom to have pride in themselves, a freedom to express their cultural selfconfidence. The first place this freedom became visible was on the music scene in the form of new infectious, irresistible form of dance and music. Musicians use their music as a medium to demonstrate most of these societal conflicts that exist in South Africa. Peace researchers, peace workers, and others have worked over several decades to promote an alternative culture and an alternative approach to dealing with conflicts – one based on recognising the positive, constructive, and creative opportunities available in any conflict situation. In this regard I would like to dwell on music as a creative way of dealing with conflict.
author Ameck, Gillian Ayong
author_facet Ameck, Gillian Ayong
author_sort Ameck, Gillian Ayong
title Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
title_short Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
title_full Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
title_fullStr Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in South Africa
title_sort music as a vehicle in conflict transformation and social integration in south africa
publishDate 2006
url http://hdl.handle.net/10539/1778
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