The Limits and Ambivalences of Postcolonial Consciousness in Mbunga'sChurch Law and Bantu Music

Abstract

A Tanzanian Roman Catholic priest, the late Stephen B. G. Mbunga (1927–1982), has played a significant role in the history of church music in Tanzania through his compositions, involvement in music performance as a choral conductor, and scholarly writing on various aspects of church music. He is best known by scholars of the music of Tanzania through his work on the localization of church music there. In his 1963 book entitledChurch Law and Bantu Music: Ecclesiastical Documents and Law on Sacred Music as Applied to Bantu Music,which was his doctoral dissertation (a work completed at and submitted to Propaganda University in Switzerland), he strongly defends the use of African music in Roman Catholic Church services in Africa. After interpreting Roman ecclesiastical laws and various directives given by top officials in the Roman Catholic Church, Mbunga argues that the use of African music in the Roman Catholic Church is consistent with and can be accomplished in accordance with these laws and directives concerning church music (see Sanga 2011:35–37). He also proposes practical ways through which musicians can undertake the task of composing African music that is appropriate for Roman Catholic Church services.