By Anoka Latchmiah
The International Library of African Music (ILAM) is one of the world’s most extensive archives of early recordings of African music – and its heart beats right here in Makhanda. ILAM was founded in 1954 by Hugh Tracey, whose career spanned four decades. He made 19 recording excursions to record the music of Sub-Saharan Africa, forming the foundation of preserving African music, where people can hear recordings from a certain point in history. Those recordings are all housed in the ILAM archives and available for research.
One of the first instruments Hugh Tracey discovered was the xylophone, which he began researching in 1942. He then amassed a sizable collection of African instruments which his son, Andrew Tracey, a former director of ILAM, then added to. Now ILAM has a collection of 340 instruments from throughout Sub-Saharan Africa on permanent display. There are drums, xylophones, lyres and harps, and a large collection of mbiras and kalimbas. Elijah Madiba, digitising manager of ILAM, explained that communities have been eradicated, and certain instruments are not played anymore. “So people use these recordings to hear what the music sounded like. Hugh Tracey’s recordings are instrumental in repatching and reviving this music to inform us. Future generations can look back and see a snapshot of that particular time.”
The Entenga drums, which hail from Uganda, were destroyed when the Buganda palace was attacked and destroyed on May 23-24, 1966. Those who want to hear the extinct instrument being played may not be able to hear them physically, but they can listen to Hugh Tracey’s recordings of the Entenga in the 1950s.
Milestones also raise questions about the future. What is next for ILAM? In keeping with the theme of Tracey’s snapshots of history, the library plans to expand its archives to house music from all of Africa, not only Sub-Saharan. ILAM is also collaborating with a UK-based company called Beating Heart, an organisation connecting DJs with music from Africa to sample from recordings to create club songs.
“Basically, we want to see African music working for Africans in different ways,” said Madiba. “But we are also pushing for African music to be recognised. It’s something that is worth studying, and something that is worth doing more research on.”
- ILAM’s 70th anniversary will be celebrated in concert at this year’s National Arts Festival with a roof-raising programme on Friday, 21 June. For more information, see https://tickets.nationalartsfestival.co.za/en/events/227/halala-ilams-70th-birthday-celebration-concert.
