ANTH326 Peoples and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa

Meeting 12, November 26, 2007

Business

• Last two course meetings next week– Chabal/Daloz–Wrap-Up (freebie)

• Exam– December 7

• Final paper– Due December 5– No penalty until December 10

Salm Themes

Salm Themes Team 1

• Globalisation• Create class/generation conflict• Positive reinforcement (clubs and members)– Support system

• Independence/identity• Anti-establishment (government restricted

help)

Salm Themes Team 2

• Community revival– Geographical (area)– Support system

• Generational conflict– Language– Youth embracing change– Rejection British colonial culture

• Reinterpretation of U.S. culture (making own)• Social mobility (ideas, people)

Salm Themes Team 3

• Globalization– Integration Western culture in own (e.g. Hiplife)

• Generation gap• Lifestyle and identity change– Nicknames– Dress style– Language

• Independence

Salm Themes Team 4

• Subcultures• New youth culture coming up• Youth as created/constructed• Creating new identities in Post-Colonial

Comparisons

1. With Pre-Colonial/stereotypical Africa

2. With United States/“West”

3. With Swahili Coast genres (Askew)

4. With Congolese music (White)

Stereotypical

• Traditional, rituals, typical dress– Rock’n’Roll not fitting (amplified music, dress…)

• Appealing for reason, rebellious– Africa needs change?– Youth seeking change

Western

• Everyone ok in West?– Generation conflict

• Bigger impact (not fad)• Government opposed and sanctioned

Swahili

• Dance groups retain culture• Wider mix of influences on Swahili Coast• Government using dance for promotion• No generational gap• Not anti-colonial• Both on social support networks• Foreign, turning into locally meaningful

Congolese

• Generational conflict in both• Music as aid during socio-political strife• Cultural appropriation– Glocal identity

Young Africa

Youthful Africa

• Old continent (long history)• Tradition• Young population– High fertility– 50% under 16yo (ASA 2003)– 43% under 15yo (PRB on Sub-Saharan Africa)

Youth Culture

• Defining youth– Age (under 18)– Biology (puberty)– Context (parenthood, responsibilities)

• Extended family, gerontocracy• Generation gap• Models

Salm Notes

Ghana

• Independence• Kwame Nkrumah (CPP)• Urban context– Accra (currently ~2M people)– Neighbourhoods

Approach

• Pop culture• Economic conditions• History, diachrony• Ethnography• Media coverage• Elite

Diversity

• Within population• Subculture• Marginality, deviance, delinquency• Generation gap• Trendiness• Influences

Music

• “Jazz Feedback”• Highlife• Hiplife• Kpanlogo• Rock’n’Roll• Rock historians/critics

“Traditional Africa”

“Modern or Traditional”

• Locally constructed• Complexify• Perceived/intentional discontinuity/continuity• Generational differences• National context

Orality

• Verbal communication– Include sign languages, “body language”– Exclude writing (but may include IM)

• Chain of direct transmission• Immediacy/instantaneity/simultaneity• Exchange/dialogue/back-and-forth• Multi-layered/multi-channel

“Oral societies”

• “Pre-literate?”• Writing as defining feature?• Functional literacy?• Writing systems often exist– Coexistence oral/written