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World Music: Sharing or Exploitation?

The Cultural Politics of Paul Simons Graceland

Apartheid in South Africasystem of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation by the National Party (NP) governments, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994rights, associations, and movements of the majority black inhabitants were curtailed and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained. Enforced by the National Party 1948-1994People grouped into: native, white, colored, and AsianNon-white representation abolished in 1970; black people were no longer deemed citizens

Efforts to end ApartheidEmbargos on South Africa to avoid supporting Apartheid begin in 1950

1962 UN condemns South Africaarms embargoeconomic embargobarred from Olympic Games

Cultural embargo: Artists were requested not to present or let their works be hosted in South Africa. Over sixty American artists signed a statement against apartheid and against professional links with the state.

Enforced by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization)1980s brought trade sanctions, divestment

1980s brought some reform; 1990 President Frederick Willem de Klerk seeks end

1994 first fully representative African National Congress--Nelson Mandela president

Nelson MandelaMandela was originally inspired by Gandhis peaceful protestsHowever, he began leading sabotage attacks against the apartheid government, and planned guerilla warfareFor these actions, he was imprisoned for 27 years

Bishop Desmond TutuFirst black archbishop of South AfricaLed peaceful protestsSupported TOTAL boycott, even though it mostly harmed the poor around him

1976 Soweto RiotsIn Pretoria, capital of South Africa20,000 students did not want to be taught in German-based Afrikaans language176 students were killed in the riotsJuly 16 is now a national holiday, Youth Day

Paul Simon in South AfricaIn 1984 Paul Simon received a bootleg cassette of South African dance club music and was fascinatedConsulted with Harry Belafonte and Quincy Jones, about going to South Africa. They encouraged Simon to make the trip, but advised him to consult with Artists United Against Apartheid. Simon deemed it unnecessaryTraveled to South Africa in 1985 to arrange jam sessions with local musiciansBroke UNESCO boycott and was not supported by the United Nations anti-Apartheid Committee

1986 Paul Simons GracelandThe Boy in the BubbleGracelandI Know What I KnowGumbootsDiamonds on the Soles of Her ShoesYou Can Call Me AlUnder African SkiesHomelessCrazy Love, Vol. IIThat Was Your MotherAll Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints

Artistic and Political ControveryGraceland was not intended as an anti-apartheid political statement..but it became one. Subsequent touring capitalized on thisBroke the UN embargo... but (unintentionally) brought popular attention to the situationExplored authentic South African popular music idioms. but these were highly manipulated and overlaid with Simons own lyrics mostly reflecting modern urban angst

World Music versus World BeatWorld Music Describes anything outside the Western traditionValue is found in the pristine, pure, intact traditionsExample a traditional drum circle within a tribe uninfluenced by Western traditionsWorld BeatAesthetic of the familiar but exotic soundingThe sound has been cleaned up and packaged in an accessible formRecordings often mediated by Western producer/collaboratorDance-orientedPredominantly African-derived music

Discussion: Collaboration Verses ExploitationWas Paul Simon fostering collaboration or exploiting a culture with little ability to resist?

CollaborationEqual coming togetherAll parties benefit equallyEqual representationExploitationProfit of record company and (white) artistsCopyrights held by SimonWhite producer/black laborer models the apartheid regime

Discussion: Ends versus meansPaul Simon knew that he was breaking the boycott, and was threatened with censorship, yet chose to proceed. Do his ends justify the means?Are the means to bring attention?Are the means to fulfill an artistic goal?Are the means to capitalize monetarily?

Discussion: CapitalizationCapitalizing on the folk revivalto what degree if any do you believe that Paul Simon is just cashing in on the folk revival and the draw exoticism to sell records?Have you changed your presentation to appeal to a broader audience?Is it necessarily a bad thing to do this?Brahms drew on folk melodies in his Hungarian dances.Was Brahms exploiting the Hungarians?

Discussion: BorrowingJazz also began as an other.It uses elements of many culturesSouth American, for example.Jazz, as an entity is also used in classical music.Is jazz both the exploiter and the exploited?To what degree is musical borrowing acceptable to you, if at all. Does it make the composer/performer business savvy or unethical? Does giving credit make it ethical? How do the conditionspolitical, cultural, and personalfactor into the equation.