Taking Xhosa Music out of the Fridge and into the Townships

Abstract

This article considers the value of sound elicitation, taking ethnomusicological sound recordings out of archives and connecting them with the people whose music they capture. Discussing a case study that explored practical uses for a major collection of African field recordings—Hugh Tracey's Sound of Africa series—I argue for innovative ways to curate and circulate recordings amongst the source communities, who often have no meaningful access to academic archives. I consider how collaborative engagement of local social mechanisms can help re-insert recordings into people's daily lives.