Dissemination of music archives through educational materials: the “For Future Generations” exhibit and ILAM Music Heritage Project SA

The Hugh Tracey Collections of audio recordings, film and photographs from the
1930s through the early 1970s housed at the International Library of African Music
(ILAM) have been catalogued and digitized and made accessible globally via the
internet, via CD compilations, and through Hugh Tracey’s early efforts - the Sound of
Africa and Music of Africa LP series. Tracy’s commitment to dissemination of his field
recordings meant they had far greater exposure than most at the time he was
creating them.
Providing off-line access to music archives is crucial in South Africa because
lack of internet access remains the reality for marginalized communities and most
public schools. To address this issue ILAM is engaged in two off-line outreach and
education initiatives: a travelling museum exhibit launched in 2010: ‘For Future
Generations – Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music’ and the
‘ILAM Music Heritage Project SA’. The ILAM travelling exhibition has reached
thousands of school children and other museum-goers as it travels throughout South
Africa. The authoring and publication of two music education textbooks utilizing
ILAM holdings is envisioned as a way to disseminate ILAM recordings and images
back into communities through the schools. It involves creating lessons that make the
music accessible and of interest to students who usually only hear what commercial
radio and tv have on offer.
In addition to sharing the outcomes of ILAM’s museum exhibit and the potential
outcomes of dissemination of the music education textbooks, this paper questions if
these off-line efforts can be considered a form of repatriation.

Date: 
10 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
Start time: 
11:00
Venue: 
Auditorium
Title (author 1): 
Ms
First names (author 1): 
Diane
Surname (author 1): 
Thram
Institution: 
International Library of African Music
Country: 
SOUTH AFRICA
presentation type: 
panel