The Inanga and Its Place in African Music
(Option One)
In the documentary Inanga: A Song of Survival in a Daughter’s Rwanda, Sibomana Athanase says, “After the drum, the inanga is the queen of all the traditional instruments” (Inanga: A Story of Survival in a Daughter’s Rwanda). For Rwandans, it is an instrument that is deeply rooted in tradition and in culture, yet as time goes on, it is slowly losing its appeal across generations. Traditionally associated with the Tutsi people, the inanga’s identity lies in its historical origin. Played in the courts in order to soothe the Tutsi kings, or mwami, the inanga became a concrete symbol of the contention and power divide that separated Rwanda into two distinct groups (Barz, McGovern). It is impossible to assess the significance of the inanga without first looking at the historical background of Rwanda. It is within this context that the inanga drew its meaning—both as a symbol of destruction and of rehabilitation. It is imperative that the role of the inanga be assessed from an African perspective; only then can one fully appreciate the instrument as a national symbol rather than a primitive and inconsequential artifact.
The role of the inanga as a political tool was brought on by cultural conflict. Until Rwanda was colonized by Germany in 1890, Rwandans had no concept of racial differences, and there existed only Banyarwanda—people of Rwanda (Barz, McGovern). This racial divide between Hutu and Tutsi was created and implemented by colonizers. Hutus were determined to be the inferior race. Short and heavy, the Hutus were viewed as “born to be led” while the taller and skinnier Tutsis were considered “born leaders” (14.4). Therefore, when Rwanda became an independent nation in 196...
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...iately advocate for tradition. Rather than disregarding the music, we must appreciate it. Then and only then will we be able to consciously appreciate the music for what it is, rather than contributing to the problem and promoting the disappearance of African culture in music.
Works Cited
Barz, Gregory, and Patrick McGovern. Inanga: A Story of Survival in a Daughter's
Rwanda. 2010. CD Insert. Vanderbilt University, Nashville.
Barz, Gregory F. Music in East Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New
York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.
Inanga: A Story of Survival in a Daughter's Rwanda. Prod. Gregory Barz. Perf. Sophie
Nzayisenga, Kirusu Thomas, Sibomana Athenase, Meddy. 2010. Global Music Archive. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Stone, Ruth M. Music in West Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New
York: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.
In the early 20st century a horrific genocide occurred between two African groups of people in Rwanda. In the early 1900’s Rwanda was colonized by Belgium and France but by Belgium missionaries. There were two main African clans in Rwanda at the time and that was the Tutsi’s and the Hutu’s. The Belgium missionaries gave power to the church. Many Africans that were practicing African traditional religions soon were converted to catholic Christians. The Belgium missionaries chose the Tutsi clan as being “elite” because of their physical appearance over the Hutus. The Tutsi people had narrower noses, thinner lips, and lighter skin and were labeled as being “white” and the Hutu’s had wider noses, fuller lips, and were considered to be “black” between
Music nurtured the African American tradition and their struggle towards equality in the same century.... ... middle of paper ... ... Greensboro, N.C.: Morgan Reynolds Pub. Carter, D. (2009).
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...ause the colonial masters believed that they resembled them. It was unethical for the Belgians to interfere with the peaceful coexistence that the two communities had enjoyed in the past. As a result, the Hutus acquired negative misconceptions about the Tutsis’ origin, what they stood for, and what they had done for them in the past. The Hutus expertly planned and organized the Rwandan genocide as a result of such historical distortions created by their country’s colonial masters.
Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.
Powell, A. (2007). The Music of African Americans and its Impact on the American Culture in the 1960’s and the 1970’s. Miller African Centered Academy, 1. Retrieved from http://www.chatham.edu/pti/curriculum/units/2007/Powell.pdf
Middleton, John. "Rwanda." Africa: an Encyclopedia for Students. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. Print.
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