Contextualizing Traditional Music Studies in an Institution of Higher Learning: A Case Study of the BA Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick

Abstract

The indigenous knowledge system that informs the content of African performance practices derive from the distinctive history,  philosophy, creative theory, geographical location, cross-cultural influences and such of particular African communities. The transfer of  these indigenous knowledge systems to students in a classroom situation has been a challenge in African school curriculum. There are  music cultures that have been able to appropriate their indigenous music cultures for classroom education at third level of education.  This paper therefore is an investigation into one of such institutions that has incorporated their traditional music into the music  curriculum and the contextual implications of achieving this feat.