Archontic Aporias: the mediums of memory
- Authors: Arbuckle, Julia Ruth
- Date: 2023-03-30
- Subjects: Practice research , Eastern Cape (South Africa) History , Autoethnography , Information storage and retrieval systems Memory , Archives South Africa Eastern Cape , Aporia , Memory in art , Archives in art
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/408727 , vital:70520
- Description: Contextualising my research within the Eastern Cape as a descendant of 1820 settlers, I question the modalities of historical recollection by introducing memory as a viable mode of archival production alongside that of the archive. Through interrogating Eastern Cape archival institutes and employing an autoethnographic approach to my familial archives, I show that archival curation affects the gaps, schisms, and interpretations of archives as much as the ‘unreliability’ of memory. I rely on definitions from Jacques Derrida and literature from Achille Mbembe and Verne Harris, as well as reflexive methodologies, to engage the ways of remembering the past and methods of storytelling. With this undertaking, I expose the aporias within archival processes. This written component is part of broader research that encompasses theoretical study and a practice-based Fine Arts research project culminating in an exhibition that shares themes of memory, archive, trauma, and curatorial and personal heritage management. This research engages in case studies of artworks by Angela Deane and Maureen de Jager to contextualise and position the creative process. , Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 2023
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The soul of Mozambique: an autoethnographic and performance-based study on the correlation of glabalisation, Chopi people migrations and the reinterpretation of timbila music in Mozambique
- Authors: Bande Júnior, Venâncio
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Timbila , Chopi (African people) Mozambique , Music festivals Mozambique , Traditional knowledge , Music and globalization , Modernity , Traditional folk music
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406818 , vital:70310
- Description: This is an autoethnographic and performance-based study on the correlation between indigenous and modern cultures. It discusses the influence of globalisation, modernity, and of the Chopi people migrations to Maputo, the main city of Mozambique and to gold and platinum mines in South Africa, on timbila music. Timbila is both the name of a musical instrument (xylophone) and of a cultural manifestation, practiced by the Chopi people from Mozambique. It is one of the most documented music and dance cultures in Mozambique and was proclaimed as a masterpiece of the oral and immaterial heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2005. The oldest references by Father Andre Fernandes date from the 16th century. However, the most well-known timbila sources were written and recorded by Hugh Tracey, the founder of the International Library of African Music (ILAM), from 1940s. All these sources were based on traditional timbila music. None refers to contemporary timbila music, which is a mixture of timbila with Western musical instruments. The research is thus based on both historical and is new research to understand the role of the phenomena mentioned above to the reinterpretation of timbila music over the time. Performance based and autoethnography methods were selected because of my role as a pedagogue of the music and culture of timbila, allowing me to express my knowledge on this cultural expression. Literature review and interviews are the two procedures of data collecting employed to get an understanding of the research methods; the phenomena of modernity, globalisation and of the Chopis migration for the searching of better living conditions in Maputo and South Africa; and the approaches of different scholars who have written about timbila. The use of these methods and methodologies, allowed me to conclude that, Chopis migrations, modernity and globalisation has allowed the emergence of a modern version of timbila music; internationalisation and dissemination of this musical expression; and contributes to the extinction of traditional timbila orchestras in Zavala. Despite considerable studies on timbila music and culture, this thesis is important and pioneering, from the perspective of studying the influence of Chopis migrations, globalisation and modernity on timbila and is one of the few sources that approach the contemporary timbila music. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
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Pessimism and the secular problem of evil
- Authors: Ruiters, Siphamandla
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Good and evil , Pessimism , Optimism , Secularism , Quality of life
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190111 , vital:44964
- Description: How should we respond to the prevalence of ubiquitous evil? In this thesis, I present two responses to the secular problem of evil. The secular problem of evil exists because we want to live good lives, but we are all existentially vulnerable to evil. Consequently, we can think of various ways in which evil's existence poses a problem for us. When faced with such evil, I distinguish two responses that we may adopt, namely, optimistic or pessimistic responses to the secular problem of evil. These responses may be understood as stances that we may adopt about the relative evil and goodness in the world. Once I have made a thorough evaluation of the discussion around the secular problem of evil and the responses, I will suggest that pessimism is an appealing and appropriate response that we should adopt. To achieve the aims of this thesis, I will first clarify the kind of evil at stake in this thesis and then explain how philosophers have historically responded to this problem. Secondly, I will focus on the contemporary discussion on the secular problem of evil and show the responses are optimistic responses. Finally, I will provide a case against optimism and then show why pessimism is the most appealing and appropriate response. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Philosophy, 2021
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