Abstract

MACHIN ALVAREZ, Laura Inés. GENDER, TRADITIONAL MUSIC, AND TABOOS IN WESTERN AFRICA'S MANDE SOCIETY. Rev. urug. Antropología y Etnografía [online]. 2019, vol.4, n.2, pp.96-104.  Epub Dec 01, 2019. ISSN 2393-7068.  https://doi.org/10.29112/ruae.v4.n2.7.

For women in many cultures, it is unusual to play drums and wind instruments associated with power. In Mande culture, where singing and playing music is reserved for the caste of jàli, the Western African bard, women have the reputation to be outstanding singers, but playing instruments is traditionally an exclusively male pursuit. Jàli’s art have been passed down through many centuries, and the profession of musician is inherited, but women access to certain instruments like kóoraa is controversial: playing it can be risky. Traditionally, they play some rhythmic instruments - and only to accompany their songs, but not string instruments. What is the impact of female players’ performance in this society?

Keywords : Gender; Musical Instruments; Taboos; Traditional Music; West Africa; África Ocidental; género; instrumentos musicais; música tradicional; tabus.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )