An exposition of musical arts education in Malawi

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Date
2013-01
Authors
Ligoya, Alinane Mildred
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Musical Arts are a vibrant and integral part of life and culture in the Jali area, Zomba district, Southern Malawi. The musical arts types (magule ) are a means by which culturally significant knowledge, attitudes and skills are expressed and transmitted, to ensure the longevity of the way of life in Jali. This is a study of the musical arts education system as it exists in the Jali area. Due to the nature and intimate role of the magule in the culture of Jali, to learn the magule in the Jali area is to learn critical aspects of how and why the culture and everyday life of the community is both informed and re-formed. Inevitably, this is also a study of the culture of people in the area, giving this music education study an ethnographic approach. I observed, documented, and participated in the performance of three magule , namely Malangalanga , Manganje and Mganda . Interviews were conducted with adults as well as children. Through these means I have attempted to discover how the musical arts education system operates. Learning in this musical arts education system is practical and marked by high efficacy on the part of the learners. Their motivation resides in the desire to participate, and interact. A learner benefits through a combination of both informal and formal learning. Magule are learnt through the informal techniques of observational learning, play, trial-and-error, peer education and cooperative learning. Children observe and imitate through trial-anderror, during play either alone or with other children. Formal education occurs during initiation and in apprenticeship. Community is the bedrock on which cultural practices including the magule find their meaning and purpose. This fact is well documented in the culture and language through proverbs such as: Mutu umodzi siusenza denga (one head cannot hoist up a roof-to successfully accomplish a task one needs the help of others). The overarching objective of the musical arts education system is twofold: To express, communicate and embody the community; and thereby building character. Both community building and character building are geared towards cultivating Umunthu (humanness). Being human (munthu ) is understood as more than a biological fact, but is a qualitative distinction. This distinction is based on whether a person exhibits attitudes and behaviour that shows values for others’ wellbeing, and is able to live morally, in adhering to the society’s values and beliefs. Umunthu is an internal state that manifests externally in khalidwe la bwino (good/moral behaviour). Umunthu and its corresponding behaviour and attitudes, which the culture deems desirable for communal wellness, are obtained through the process of enculturation and manifests in everyday life and in magule . Ultimately, the learners are expected to become fully functional and productive members of the community; equipped with the knowledge, skill, attitudes and experience particular and useful to the community of Jali; able to participate fully in the performances and all that they signify. Learners are expected to posses Umunthu which results in khalidwe la bwino (good behaviour), leading to the transmission and perpetuity of the culture of Jali, specifically through magule.
Afrikaans: Die musiekkunste is ’n dinamiese en essensiële deel van die lewe en kultuur in die Jaligebied, Zomba-distrik, Suid-Malawi. Die tipes musiekkunste (magule ) is ’n manier waardeur kultureel betekenisvolle kennis, ingesteldhede en vaardighede uitgedruk en oorgedra word ten einde die langdurige voortbestaan van die lewenswyse in Jali te verseker. Hierdie is ’n studie van die musiekkunste-opvoedingsisteeml soos dit in die Jali-gebied voorkom. As gevolg van die aard en die intieme rol van die magule in die kultuur van Jali, behels die leer van die magule in die Jali-gebied inderdaad om te leer oor deurslaggewende aspekte van hoe en waarom die kultuur en alledaagse lewe van die gemeenskap sowel gevorm as hervorm word. Hierdie studie is noodwendig ook ’n studie van die kultuur van mense in die gebied. Dit verleen dus aan hierdie musiekopvoedkundige studie ’n etnografiese benadering. Ek het drie magule , naamlik malangalanga , manganje en mganda waargeneem, gedokumenteer en aan die uitvoering daarvan deelgeneem. Onderhoude is met volwassenes sowel as kinders gevoer. Deur hierdie middele het ek gepoog om vas te stel hoe die musiekkunste-opvoedingsisteem funksioneer. Die leer in hierdie musiekkunste-opvoedingsisteem is prakties en word deur ’n hoë vlak van doeltreffendheid deur die leerders gekenmerk. Hul motivering lê in die begeerte om deel te neem en om interaksie met mekaar te hê. Die leerders trek voordeel uit ’n kombinasie van informele en formele leer. Magule word geleer deur informele tegnieke, naamlik waarnemingsleer, spel, leer-en-probeer, portuuropvoeding en koöperatiewe leer. Kinders neem waar en boots na deur middel van leer-en-probeer tydens spel, alleen of saam met ander kinders. Formele opleiding vind plaas tydens inisiasie en tydens leerlingskap. Gemeenskap vorm die kern waarom kulturele praktyke, insluitend die magule , hul betekenis en doel vind. Hierdie feit is deeglik gedokumenteer in die kultuur en taal deur spreekwoorde soos “Mutu umodzi siusenza denga ” (een kop kan nie ’n dak ophys nie – om ’n taak suksesvol te verrig het ’n mens die hul van ander nodig). Die oorkoepelende doelwit van die musiekkunste-opvoedingsisteem is tweevoudig: om die gemeenskap uit te druk, te kommunikeer en te beliggaam, en om daardeur karakter te bou. Sowel gemeenskapsbou as karakterbou is daarop toegespits om umunthu (menslikheid) te kweek. Om mens te wees (munthu ) word verstaan as nie bloot ’n biologiese feit nie, maar as ’n kwalitatiewe onderskeid. Hierdie onderskeid is gegrond op of ’n persoon ingesteldhede en gedrag openbaar wat toon dat waarde aan ander se welstand geheg word en in staat is om sedelik te leef, getrou aan die samelewing se waardes en oortuigings. Umunthu is ’n innerlike toestand wat ekstern in khalidwe la bwino (goeie/sedelike gedrag) manifesteer. Umunthu en die gedrag en ingesteldhede wat daarmee gepaard gaan, wat die kultuur as wenslik vir gemeenskaplike welstand ag, word deur die proses van enkulturasie verkry en manifesteer in die alledaagse lewe en in magule . Uiteindelik word van die leerders verwag om volledig funksionele en produktiewe lede van die gemeenskap te word, toegerus met die kennis, vaardighede, ingesteldhede en ervaring eie aan en nuttig vir die gemeenskap van Jali en in staat om ten volle aan die uitvoerings en alles wat dit beteken deel te neem. Daar word van leerders verwag om oor umunthu te beskik, wat khalidwe la bwino (goeie gedrag) tot gevolg het en lei tot die oordrag en ewigdurendheid van die kultuur van Jali, spesifiek deur magule .
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Keywords
Music -- Instruction and study -- Malawi, Music coaching -- Malawi, Music appreciation, Enculturation, Character building, Participation, Initiation, Apprenticeship, Cooperative learning, Observational learning, Community, Musical arts (Magule), Umunthu, Dissertation (M.Mus.)--University of the Free State, 2013
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