Music, Gender, and Tradition in African Initiation Rites
The intersections between music, gender and tradition have served as a vessel for storytelling and preserving identity.
As a cornerstone of African culture, music has long served as a vessel for storytelling and preserving identity. One of the strongest intersections of music, gender, and traditions is the initiation songs, which are deeply tied to passage rites. These rites, or ceremonies, mark the transition from childhood to adulthood. Through these songs, gender roles are often highlighted, revealing the intricate relationship between music, gender, and culture within African societies.
What are the Roles of these Initiation Songs
In Africa, initiation songs hold great significance beyond their performances. They serve as tools for education, the preservation of tradition, and gender socialization. Education is crucial for preserving tradition, culture, and history. Meanwhile, socialization teaches individuals to learn, understand, and accept the gender roles required of them by their society. For example, among the Igembe People of Meru of Kenya, through circumcision songs, boys are taught to be courageous men, ready to rule. The girls are socialized to be proper women, homemakers, and submissive in the community, reflecting the traditional expectations of womanhood.
Likewise, in communities such as the Xhosa of South Africa, the male initiation ritual known as Ulwaluko includes songs that celebrate courage and prepare young men for the responsibilities of adulthood. Similarly, the Zulu people's Reed Dance prepares women for womanhood through singing and dancing.
Is Music a Gendered Practice?
Across many African societies, music performance and playing of musical instruments are often associated with or restricted to a particular gender. This gendering can vary widely across different cultures, even in the context of adopted practices. For example, drums and percussion instruments are typically associated with male performers. While women generally sing or chant and support their performance by playing percussion instruments such as the shekere or clapping. In contrast, men are more likely to use drums to enhance male performances.
In Yoruba culture, certain instruments, like the talking drum and the bata drum, are traditionally reserved for men. However, in the adopted Bata drum practice found in Cuba, these restrictions are not seen, underscoring the dynamic approach of these cultures in different societies even with adopted practice.
With these restrictions on many traditional instruments, many African female singers and instrumentalists have broken barriers and changed the role of many African instruments in the African music scene.
To highlight a few examples, popular Nigerian talking drummer Ara Olumuyiwa has challenged the traditional restrictions surrounding the talking drum in Yoruba culture. Gambian multi-instrumentalist Sona Jobarteh has similarly broken the norm that confines the kora as a men-only instrument. Kenyan artist Labdi Ommes has done the same with the traditional orutu instrument. These instances demonstrate that, despite their long-standing roots, these cultures are not static.
As African societies evolve, so do these gender roles and expectations. Although most critics and some modern African feminists have suggested the scrapping of these practices because they reinforce outdated stereotypes like assigning passive roles to women, others have argued for the inclusion of leadership narratives for women, preservation of these songs, and adapting them to modern contexts, as they remain relevant and continue to serve educational and societal functions, and also stand as a fascinating lens through which to explore societal values and norms.
