Abstract
The 1994 democratic election in South Africa dramatically changed power configuration within the whole region of Southern Africa. The relaxation of physical and mental boundaries opened up new possibilities for all kinds of cultural encounter.
Music scholarship has undertaken a change too. It left behind older concepts of cultural essentialism, Marxism and cultural nationalism, however, it is far from being free of new biases serving one or the other agency.
The panel brings together three topics from Southern African region examined by three researchers from various disciplinary backgrounds. It offers a kaleidoscopic look at Southern African music making.
Topics: Learning jazz in South Africa: 'What does it mean?'. Jazz education and its meanings in a post-apartheid country; The Serankure and music in Tlôkweng, Botswana.
Interdisciplinary restudy of an indigenous bowed instrument; 'And as I started to play this song, they fell on the ground.' Story of a Zion Christian Church member in South Africa