Indigenous African music and multiculturalism in Zimbabwean primary schools : toward an experiential open class pedagogy

Abstract

This study focuses on the teaching of Indigenous African Music (IAM) in Zimbabwean primary schools, and proposes a new Experiential Open Class Pedagogy relevant to its multicultural contexts. A postcolonial theoretical paradigm informs the discussion of secondary literature, and the analysis of empirical data obtained through the following methods: interviews, lesson observations, focus group discussions, and the analysis of teaching documents. Case studies were conducted at ten schools in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. These schools were chosen from a mix of urban, peri-urban, and rural communities. The findings show the continued effects of colonialism on IAM teaching practices and pedagogy. The effects of globalization and the high levels of migrancy in and out of Zimbabwe are discussed as factors shaping the teaching of IAM. Formal models of learning have undermined the status of IAM in favour of Western classical music. Recognizing this bias, but also the fact that culture is dynamic, this study strikes a balance by proposing a new pedagogy that integrates Western and African approaches to music education. The study findings feed into the development of a new hybridised model called the Experiential Open Class Pedagogy (EOCP), which is suitable for multicultural contexts. This pedagogy encourages learners to use their personal experience of IAM practices in the home, and to draw on expertise from their local communities. The participation of children and their elders in the community contributes to the openness of the learning process. A combination of learning at home, in communities, and in classrooms is vital in utilising all the critical avenues to acquiring knowledge and experience of IAM. Recommendations on policy and practice in Zimbabwean primary school education offer solutions to the present challenges. It is important for teachers to be active stakeholders in documenting the very IAM practices they teach by carrying out research, and through continuous improvement initiatives in multicultural contexts.