To bring peace that stays: Music, conflict and conciliation in the Gambia
Author(s):
Bonnie McConnell
Publication Year:
2019
Type:
journal article
Journal/Book Title
International Journal of Community Music
Publisher
Editor(s):
Pages:
349-366
Volume:
12
Issue:
3
Abstract:
In the Senegambia Region of West Africa, performers have long played a central role in conflict mediation. Historically, this has included both small-scale conflicts, such as those between neighbours, and larger-scale conflicts between groups. This article draws on evidence from ethnographic research with Gambian performers to explore contemporary perspectives on conflict and conciliation. I use analysis of three Mandinka-language songs relating to conflict within the family to show that performers work to promote conciliation through appeals to shared values of oneness, positive relationships and empathy. Examples include songs by hereditary professional musicians (jaloolu), a hip hop artist and female fertility society performers (kanyeleng). These songs are rooted in cultural frameworks of morality and goodness, while also reflecting gendered dynamics of risk and inequality.
Citation (Chicago Author-Date):
McConnell, Bonnie. 2019. “To Bring Peace That Stays: Music, Conflict and Conciliation in the Gambia.” International Journal of Community Music 12 (3): 349–66. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm_00005_1.