Musicalizing Marine Cultural Heritage in Tanzania

Project Description

The coast of Tanzania is rich in terms of marine cultural heritage. It has ancient boat/fish landing sites, historic ports/harbors, shipwreck sites, and complex navigational causeways and platforms. Further, the locally built wooden watercraft have become global representations of Tanzania’s (coastal) beauty. However, the unique, living MCH that forms the underlying core to this is threatened as it remains less known, is consequently undervalued, under-recorded and overlooked.The above scenario notwithstanding, the applicants are engaged in implementing two projects in Kilwa Kisiwani and Bagamoyo both of which have documented important MCH. The question that remains unanswered is how can the outcomes resulting from these ongoing research projects be shared especially with the wider public whose access to academic publication is limited? A previous project resulted in the production of a music video that had a wide public impact (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9_usJLSqEk). This 9-month project aims to compose, record, produce and distribute a music song and video that will outline the challenges facing communities along the coastal zones and raise awareness of stakeholders, hence, popularize the values of MCH in Tanzania and beyond. The produced music song and video will promote MCH through distribution and airing on Tanzanian radio stations and televisions, already planned heritage workshops as well as through social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Summary

Location: Tanzania

PI: Elgidius B. Ichumbaki (University of Dar es Salaam)

Co-Is: Richard Bates (University of St. Andrews), Claudia Lubao (University of Dar es Salaam)

Partners:  Lucy Blue; John Cooper; Edward Pollard; Jean-Christophe Comte

Size: Medium