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Nationalistic projects normally influence the content, form, mance practice of music. Similarly, music as a "system of cultural representation" (following Hall 1992) participates in the construction of nationalism and national identities and in the construction of "traditions" through which national identities are sustained (Askew 2002; Stokes 1994; Wade 2000; Turino 2000; Chitando 2002). Listening to Muziki wa Injili (Gospel Music) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, one encounters a number of songs that are concerned with nationalism in various ways. In this article, I examine how nationalism is constructed with Muziki wa Injili in Dar es Salaam. Muziki wa Injili is a church music genre in Tanzania characterized by employing body movements, incorporating improvisation, and featur ing the use of electric guitars and keyboards. The music is performed in various popular music styles such as rumba, soukous, reggae, zouk, R&B, rap, salsa {charanga), and taarab, among others. Most of these features are uncommon in the mainstream or church art music that is normally performed either unaccompanied or accompanied by organ or electric keyboard. In addition, unlike church art music that is normally notated in either staff or solfa notation, Muziki wa Injili is largely composed, transmitted, and preserved orally and aurally (with a few exceptions). The music is performed not only in churches during services but also in evangelical meetings and in the increasingly common concerts of Muziki wa Injili in Dar es Salaam (Barz 1997, 2003; Sanga 2006a, 2006b, 2007). Apart from being performed by church choirs, Muziki wa Injili is also performed by individual musicians who record and sell their cassettes privately. That is to say, the use of the concept Muziki wa Injili is broader than that of Muziki wa Kwaya (Choir Music), a genre performed most typically by church choirs. Additionally, Muziki wa Injili is increasingly being broadcast in various television and radio stations in Tanzania, some of which are owned by church organizations. This article is informed by ethnographic research in Dar es Salaam in 2004 and 2005. During the research, I conducted interviews with mu sicians of Muziki wa Injili from Lutheran, African Inland Church (AIC), Anglican, and Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) churches, and I joined the Kwaya ya Uinjilisti Sayuni (Sayuni Evangelical Choir) at Kinondoni Lutheran Church as a participant-observer. I rehearsed and performed with the choir as a singer, guitarist, and keyboardist. I also collected a number of recorded songs, some of which are analyzed in this article. In what follows, I begin by explicating a philosophical approach that I use to examine the construction of nationalism in Muziki wa Injili. Then I discuss various ways through which nationalism in Tanzania is constructed and represented in this music. |
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