The song is the most popular form of poetic expression. Its modes of production and dissemi- nation make it an ideal tool of the cultural imaginary. Musical production functions as a space for shaping the collective conscience. In West Africa it has played a decisive role in rebuilding memories, challenging the social order and rede ning the territorial space during the colonial period and in
the rst decades following independence.
The song is at once a re ection of and a drive
for the multiple transformations experienced by a community. Major social movements always rely upon a cultural backbone, as the creative process is the most powerful vehicle for both emotions and ideas. Thus in our countries, popular songs are a framework for conveying and disseminating political awareness, as well as a space where the ght for controlling the construction of reality and opinion takes place. Based on this, exploring the issue of the production and reception of music enables us to: – Understand the sources and resources of contemporary artists’ political commitment
– Observe the stance of hip hop greats in relation to social hierarchies and religious orders
– Measure the scope of in uence of the artist and gauge the limits of his/her decision-making power
This seminar is an exploratory journey through the sociopolitical and cultural history of Senegal and West Africa, signposted by musical ballads (sound samples) that make up the original soundtrack of this sequence of the nation’s trajectory.
About Ibrahima Wane
brahima Wane holds a PhD in Modern Languages and a PhD in Arts and Humanities. He is Professor of African Literature and Civilizations at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD), Dakar. He also lectures on social history of music at the Higher Institute for Arts and Culture (ISAC) in Dakar.
Wane is Director for Doctoral Research in African Studies at UCAD’s depart-
ment of Arts and Humanities and rst Vice-Chairman of the Euro-African Network for Research on Oral Epics (REARE).
His current research interests are popular poetry and music in West Africa, written literature in African languages, urban cultures and the political imaginary. He lives and works in Dakar.