African Indigenous Knowledge-Sensed Musical Arts Education

Looking at current African music studies, one notices an interesting shift from the ‘norm’ to a fresh engagement and analysis. Fresh perspectives are increasingly being presented to position African music dialogue in the arena of the so-called ‘established music fields’. While these developments are noticeable, the unmentioned, unsung and uncelebrated indigenous African music practitioners, composers, performers, poets, praise singers and so forth must not be forgotten. This publication does not claim novelty in terms of the latter gap, but takes the debate further to highlight, though in a small way, such a need. Key policy discussions informed by Africa–indigenous knowledge are entertained. As an example, the work of Mme Rangwato Magoro, from Malatane village in the greater Ga-Seloane community, is included. In addition, the Maila-go-fenywa performance group is linked with the compositional and performance work and the praise poems of Mme Magoro. All discussions and debates included in this collection of essays on musical arts education are intended for further policy consideration.