The liberation song, with special reference to those used by the African National Congress, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Pan Africanist Congress

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Date
1996-11
Authors
Gray, Anne-Marie
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This study focuses on the orally transmitted liberation songs of the black liberation movements in South Africa and was primarily concerned with two major questions: - the lyrics of the songs which mirrored sociopolitical conditions and the contours of black thought during the apartheid era, and - the transcription of a selection of these songs which reflect the modifications in style these songs underwent in order to demonstrate the changes in black thought with regard to the liberation struggle. In order to understand the creation of an expressive anti-apartheid culture by black South Africans the following avenues were explored. In Chapter 1 the foundations of the study were discussed. Chapter 2 gives an overview of world liberation songs which illustrate that these songs were and are used world-wide as a fundamental human resource which plays a vital role in the survival and development of many societies. Chapter 3 chronologically traced the history of white Afrikaans South African liberation songs, while Chapter 4 conducted a similar study regarding black South African liberation songs. These Chapters were based within the body of research which is concerned with the relationship of music and its context. In an attempt to communicate and understand liberation songs by these two cultures it is essential that the historical context which generated the development of the liberation song be explored. Chapter 4 also highlighted the fact that black liberation songs underwent many modifications in style due to changing sociopolitical conditions which faced black South Africans during the apartheid era. In Chapter 5 a selection of black liberation songs was transcribed and collected and placed in the different style categories explained in Chapter 4. In concluding the researcher pointed out that since the aesthetic and stylistic evaluation in this study were preceded by the recording of historical facts implicated in the songs, it is especially with regard to these two aspects that the study attempts to inaugurate not end discussion and to open up new avenues of research and understanding.
Afrikaans: Die studie handeloor die vryheidsliedere van die vryheidsbewegings van swart Suid-Afrikaners, en wel spesifiek oor die vryheidsliedere wat mondelings oorgedra is. Twee belangrike aspekte word behandel: - die lirieke van die liedere wat die sosio-politiese toestande asook die denke van swart Suid-Afrikaners gedurende die apartheidsera weerspieël, en - die transkripsie van 'n aantal van hierdie liedere ter illustrasie van die stylveranderinge wat die liedere ondergaan het weens veranderinge in die swart denke ten opsigte van die vryheidstryd. Om die ontstaan en groei van die ekspressiewe anti-apartheidskultuur onder swart Suid-Afrikaners te verstaan, is daar op verskeie aspekte gekonsentreer. In Hoofstuk 1 word die struktuur van die studie omskryf. Hoofstuk 2 gee 'n oorsig van vryheidsliedere wat wêreldwyd gesing word. Daar word aangetoon dat die sing van vryheidsliedere dwarsoor die wêreld 'n lewenskragtige rol speel in die oorlewing en ontwikkeling van baie gemeenskappe. Hoofstuk 3 omvat 'n chronologiese studie van die geskiedenis van die vryheidsliedere van wit Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaners, terwyl Hoofstuk 4 'n soortgelyke studie van vryheidsliedere van swart Suid-Afrikaners binne die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedkundige konteks maak. Om die vryheidsliedere van hierdie twee kulture te begryp en te waardeer is dit noodsaaklik dat die historiese konteks waarbinne dit ontstaan het, verken moet word. Hoofstuk 4 belig ook die stylveranderinge wat swart vryheidsliedere ondergaan het weens die veranderde sosiopolitiese toestande waarbinne swart Suid-Afrikaners hulle tydens die apartheidsera bevind het. In Hoofstuk 5 is 'n seleksie van swart vryheidsliedere getranskribeer en in verskillende stylkategorieë, soos aangetoon in Hoofstuk 4, geplaas. Ten slotte wys die navorsing daarop dat die estetiese en stilistiese waardering van die vryheidsliedere voorafgegaan is deur die ondersoek na die historiese konteks soos geïmpliseer in die liedere, juis om so nuwe studievelde van navorsing en bespreking te inisieer.
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Dissertation (M.Mus.)--University of the Free State, 1996, Revolutionary ballads and songs -- South Africa, Blacks -- South Africa -- Music -- History and criticism, Ethnomusicology -- South Africa
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