Staff directory
Rémy Jadinon
Cultural anthropology & history
Culture & Society
Culture & Society
Publication details
Alice Aterianus-Owanga, A-O. & Rémy Jadinon, J. 2018. ‘Du bwiti en clips et en cassettes : la transnationalisation des musiques initiatiques du Gabon’. Stefania Capone & Monika Salzbrunn (ed), Civilisations - Revue internationale d'anthropologie et de sciences humaines N°67: 57-75. Brussels : Université libre de Bruxelles. DOI: 10.4000/civilisations.4865. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/civilisations/4865 (PR).
Article in a scientific Journal / Article in a Journal
Mixing anthropological and historical perspectives on music, this paper analyses some musical routes, actors, and objects that have led to the circulation of Gabonese Bwiti initiation rituals in transnational spaces and networks. It shows how this transnational circulation of local ritual musics relies on the ancient movements of musicians, and it shows that although this process intertwines with national heritage policies, it occurs mainly outside of nation-state initiatives. The paper highlights how musical practice, which is at the core of rituals in Gabonese bwiti temples, has also become central in ceremonies that take place outside of Gabon, in “New-Age” Bwiti rituals or among the Gabonese diaspora. Then, it describes how the sounds and representations of bwiti are spread through the performances of some hip-hop artists, who are involved in re-Africanisation and “back to the roots” initiatives. Finally, this article discusses the role of music in the circulation of fragments of a religion whose transnationalization remains hampered by several obstacles.