Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore

This study investigates the significance of indigenous music in African folklore as a vehicle for transferring cultural norms and values to African children, with a particular emphasis on its impact on moral and social development. The study's goal is to look at how traditional music genres, in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys, Masipa, Masila Joshua
Format: Article
Language:en
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2025
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/1/%5B405-415%5D%20Indigenous%20Music%20as%20Moral%20Pedagogy%20A%20Study%20of%20Cultural%20Transmission%20in.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/
http://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/index
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1860589995609292800
author Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys
Masipa, Masila Joshua
author_facet Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys
Masipa, Masila Joshua
author_sort Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys
building Tun Sri Lanang Library
collection Institutional Repository
content_provider Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
content_source UKM Journal Article Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
description This study investigates the significance of indigenous music in African folklore as a vehicle for transferring cultural norms and values to African children, with a particular emphasis on its impact on moral and social development. The study's goal is to look at how traditional music genres, including lullabies, folk songs, chants, and storytelling, might serve as informal educational platforms for African children, shaping their ethical conduct, identity, and communal values. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, including ethnographic fieldwork, interviews with elders, cultural custodians, and educators, and an analysis of select indigenous songs from three African communities. Audio recordings and transcriptions of traditional music performances are studied thematically to reveal hidden messages and cultural values. The research is based on Social Learning Theory and Afrocentric Theory, both of which emphasize learning by observation, engagement, and conformity with African worldviews. These frameworks help us understand how children internalize moral norms and social expectations through cultural exposure. The findings show that indigenous music is still an effective cultural channel for promoting values like respect, communal living, honesty, and accountability. However, modernization, urbanization, and the impact of Western media all contribute to a fall in its use, according to the study. This study adds to scholarship by integrating musicology, education, and cultural studies to highlight the instructional potential of traditional music. It advocates incorporating indigenous music into formal education curricula and community-based learning activities to promote cultural preservation and moral growth.
format Article
id my-ukm.journal.26656
institution Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
language en
publishDate 2025
publisher Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
record_format eprints
spelling my-ukm.journal.266562026-03-09T02:34:12Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/ Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys Masipa, Masila Joshua This study investigates the significance of indigenous music in African folklore as a vehicle for transferring cultural norms and values to African children, with a particular emphasis on its impact on moral and social development. The study's goal is to look at how traditional music genres, including lullabies, folk songs, chants, and storytelling, might serve as informal educational platforms for African children, shaping their ethical conduct, identity, and communal values. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, including ethnographic fieldwork, interviews with elders, cultural custodians, and educators, and an analysis of select indigenous songs from three African communities. Audio recordings and transcriptions of traditional music performances are studied thematically to reveal hidden messages and cultural values. The research is based on Social Learning Theory and Afrocentric Theory, both of which emphasize learning by observation, engagement, and conformity with African worldviews. These frameworks help us understand how children internalize moral norms and social expectations through cultural exposure. The findings show that indigenous music is still an effective cultural channel for promoting values like respect, communal living, honesty, and accountability. However, modernization, urbanization, and the impact of Western media all contribute to a fall in its use, according to the study. This study adds to scholarship by integrating musicology, education, and cultural studies to highlight the instructional potential of traditional music. It advocates incorporating indigenous music into formal education curricula and community-based learning activities to promote cultural preservation and moral growth. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2025-07 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/1/%5B405-415%5D%20Indigenous%20Music%20as%20Moral%20Pedagogy%20A%20Study%20of%20Cultural%20Transmission%20in.pdf Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys and Masipa, Masila Joshua (2025) Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore. e-Bangi Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 22 (3). pp. 405-415. ISSN 1823-884x http://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/index
spellingShingle Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys
Masipa, Masila Joshua
Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title_full Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title_fullStr Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title_full_unstemmed Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title_short Indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in South African folklore
title_sort indigenous music as moral pedagogy: a study of cultural transmission in south african folklore
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/1/%5B405-415%5D%20Indigenous%20Music%20as%20Moral%20Pedagogy%20A%20Study%20of%20Cultural%20Transmission%20in.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26656/
http://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/index
url_provider http://journalarticle.ukm.my/