Akazehe[a] (also known as agocoya[1] or, regionally, akayégo[b] or akahibongozo[c]) is a traditional Burundian form of chanted extended musical greeting, sung exclusively by and between women.[4][5] The polyphonic form is practiced among rural women as a quotidian greeting between pairs of friends or relatives, irrespective of time or occasion.[4]
Within Burundi, akazehe is generally understood as conversational rather than musical, with the practice (whose name derives from the Kirundi root -zehe, meaning to chat) typically referred to in terms of speaking rather than of singing.[4] Though it was noted in 1996 as being in decline,[4] the practice has been identified as recently as 2014 as a source of well-being for conflict-affected women in Burundi.[6] Akazehe has been noted by UNESCO for its promotion of peace and traditional cultural values in Burundi.[7]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "Burundi". music.africamuseum.be. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ Ndimurwanko, Isaac (1986). Une étude thématique du genre akazehe comme lieu d’expression de la condition de la femme au Burundi (MA thesis). University of Burundi.
- ^ a b Facci & Ciucci 2020, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d Facci, Serena; Ciucci, Alessandra (2020). "The Akazehe of Burundi: Polyphonic Interlocking Greetings and the Female Ceremonial". Ethnomusicology Translations (10): 1–37. doi:10.14434/emt.v0i10.30278. S2CID 219002993. Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-15 – via IUScholarWorks Journals.
- ^ "Explore Burundi: The Akazehe". Gazelle Foundation. 2020-12-01. Archived from the original on 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
- ^ Bragin, Martha; Onta, Karuna; Janepher, Taaka; Nzeyimana, Generose; Eibs, Tonka (2014). "To be well at heart: women's perceptions of psychosocial wellbeing in three conflict affected countries". Intervention. 12 (2): 187–209. doi:10.1097/WTF.0000000000000030.
- ^ UNESCO Office in Libreville (2009). Actes du Colloque sous régional Causes et moyens de prévention des crimes rituels et des conflits en Afrique Centrale, suivis des Actes de l'Atelier sous-régional de formation: Mécanismes traditionnels de prévention des conflits en Afrique Centrale [Proceedings of the Sub-regional Conference Causes and means of prevention of ritual crimes and conflicts in Central Africa, followed by the Proceedings of the Sub-regional training workshop: Traditional mechanisms for conflict prevention in Central Africa] (in French). Libreville: UNESCO. pp. 350–351.
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search