SAMRO Foundation to preserve SA music heritage

The SAMRO Foundation was among hundreds of organisations across the world that applied for the AFCP programme. The funding scheme has been running annually since 2001 and its aim is to “support the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects and forms of traditional cultural expression”.

In 2015, the US Congress said: “Cultural preservation offers an opportunity to show a different American face to other countries, one that is non-commercial, non-political and non-military. By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, we show our respect for other cultures by protecting their traditions.”

Evidently, the I AM project reflects the purpose of the AFCP programme and sees itself as a part of the solution to South Africa’s identity crisis, which has been apparent since the country’s transition from apartheid to democracy. The crisis of identity, the SAMRO Foundation says, “impacts on cultural cohesion, social inclusion and mutual appreciation”.

“We’re going to be turning indigenous music into Western art notation with descriptions on how to play, if necessary with video or audio files to accompany them, so that people can freely access them around the world and promote our indigenous culture,” SAMRO Foundation manager James E French told Music In Africa.

He said the project would be directed to ordinary people. “It’s not aimed specifically at an academic or anthropological audience but at people who want to learn how the music worked, play it themselves or incorporate it into their sound.”

The grant will be spread across two years during which the 53 scores will be produced.

“It’s not going to produce a massive volume but it will get the pattern going and then we can use this as a leverage system to make sure that local government buys into our heritage,” French said.

“I understand the value of struggle history but a lot of money is being put into it and our indigenous cultures have been forgotten. This might be a very good stimulus for us to continue this project indefinitely to capture our African pride.”

The foundation also seeks to reinforce unity in a country that is defined by various social ills such as poverty, murder, political corruption and racial divisions. 

The I AM project project was instated on the communal principle of ubuntu and commences at a time when university students have called on the government to provide free education for all. But French says the project is purely about sharing musical tradition and conserving heritage.

“This is not a political project; nobody is trying to gain power or political leverage,” he said. “It is a project out of love for Africa and love for our culture. We don’t want to manipulate society, we want to help society understand who we are.”

The SAMRO Foundation will launch an online archive as part of the project, where the scores will be readily accessible to the public. The foundation said composers’ and performers’ intellectual property would be protected. “We intend to influence the discourse and together with our partners shape the narrative around African art,” it said.