In this opening episode of our special series with zamus for the “Creating New Spaces” Decolonisation Symposium, we explore the colonial shadows cast over the world of early music. Historian and activist Dr. Rahab Njeri speaks about decolonial aesthetics and the need to reclaim artistic spaces through marginalized and indigenous forms of knowledge.
https://frauengeschichtsverein.de/2023/08/22/dr-des-rahab-njeri/
We then turn to musician and researcher Jorge Silva, who guides us through the African and South American origins of familiar Baroque dances. What colonial narratives are hidden in the elegant sarabande—and what happens when we start to listen differently?
https://www.jorgesilvahpd.com/
Timecodes
00:00 – Intro & ZAMUS collaboration
01:18 – Dr. Rahab Njeri: Picasso & African art
03:01 – Cultural appropriation spectrum
04:31 – Critical diversity
06:15 – Institutional change
07:35 – Power vs. African philosophy
09:11 – Empathy & decoloniality
11:24 – Gaze into the future
13:00 – Jorge Silva: Baroque dance & origins
14:27 – Hidden narratives in dance
16:19 – The sarabande’s transformation
18:40 – Performance & research
20:52 – Lundu & Brazilian sources
23:45 – Generational trauma & music
26:23 – Layers of history in Baroque
27:40 – Being a musician today
28:35 – Outro
Music in this episode from the playlist of Midori Seiler: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQt6ev5eI6q_ZyMJrIyN898Fd0RGuxkug&si=h6sx4-49tD48Ugr4
#EarlyMusic
#DecolonisingMusic
#ColonialHeritage
#HistoricalPerformance
#CriticalClassics
#OperaReimagined
#MusicAndSociety
#InclusiveArts
#MusicHistoryMatters
#BaroqueVoices
#SoundAndStory
#ArtAsResistance
#NewSpacesInMusic
#CulturalReflection
#ListeningDifferently
