The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe

This article outlines an analysis that sought to examine how “early” jiti music has shaped contemporary jiti in Zimbabwe to not only identify aspects that define jiti but also to demonstrate how the style is a historical reality, rooted in the past and generated by the present. To do this, the autho...

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Main Authors: Chamisa, Vimbai, Machafa, Isaac
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Routledge 2022
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/18125980.2021.1963314
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4713
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author Chamisa, Vimbai
Machafa, Isaac
author_facet Chamisa, Vimbai
Machafa, Isaac
author_sort Chamisa, Vimbai
collection DSpace
description This article outlines an analysis that sought to examine how “early” jiti music has shaped contemporary jiti in Zimbabwe to not only identify aspects that define jiti but also to demonstrate how the style is a historical reality, rooted in the past and generated by the present. To do this, the authors focused on the music of the Bhundu Boys, one of the earliest groups to popularise and influence contemporary jiti music suggesting that their music, in particular the songs that were analysed, serve as examples of songs that are influenced by issues explored in jiti music. The authors also selected songs by Baba Harare, a contemporary jiti popular musician, and analysed how his music either relates to and/or departs from that of the Bhundu Boys. Using British historian Eric Hobsbawm's theory of invented traditions, which states that traditions can be revived or reinvented, the authors identified various adaptation strategies used by both the Bhundu Boys and Baba Harare to reconstitute jiti for popular music performance. The analysis of jiti popular music performance by both early performers of the style and contemporary ones showed that there is an expected “framework of performance and interpretation” for this style for it to continue representing certain traditional values and identities in Zimbabwe.
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spelling ir-11408-47132022-06-27T13:49:06Z The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe Chamisa, Vimbai Machafa, Isaac Jiti Adaption Invented traditions Popular music This article outlines an analysis that sought to examine how “early” jiti music has shaped contemporary jiti in Zimbabwe to not only identify aspects that define jiti but also to demonstrate how the style is a historical reality, rooted in the past and generated by the present. To do this, the authors focused on the music of the Bhundu Boys, one of the earliest groups to popularise and influence contemporary jiti music suggesting that their music, in particular the songs that were analysed, serve as examples of songs that are influenced by issues explored in jiti music. The authors also selected songs by Baba Harare, a contemporary jiti popular musician, and analysed how his music either relates to and/or departs from that of the Bhundu Boys. Using British historian Eric Hobsbawm's theory of invented traditions, which states that traditions can be revived or reinvented, the authors identified various adaptation strategies used by both the Bhundu Boys and Baba Harare to reconstitute jiti for popular music performance. The analysis of jiti popular music performance by both early performers of the style and contemporary ones showed that there is an expected “framework of performance and interpretation” for this style for it to continue representing certain traditional values and identities in Zimbabwe. 2022-03-18T09:39:29Z 2022-03-18T09:39:29Z 2021 Article 1812-5980 1753-593X https://doi.org/10.1080/18125980.2021.1963314 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4713 en Muziki: Journal of Music Research in Africa (Muziki);Vol. 18; No. 1: p. 3-13 open Routledge
spellingShingle Jiti
Adaption
Invented traditions
Popular music
Chamisa, Vimbai
Machafa, Isaac
The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title_full The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title_fullStr The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title_short The adaptation and development of Jiti for popular music performance in Zimbabwe
title_sort adaptation and development of jiti for popular music performance in zimbabwe
topic Jiti
Adaption
Invented traditions
Popular music
url https://doi.org/10.1080/18125980.2021.1963314
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4713
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