Sample ethnographic films
Contents
Ethnomusicological ethnographic films
Film representing music representing people...
Thinking about film
How would you evaluate the following films? Consider evaluative criteria (axiology):
- truth
- ethics
- aesthetics
Critique: Power of representation.
- Who creates a film? What roles go into its making?
- Whose voice(s) do we see/hear?
- What other forces may be shaping the final product?
- What is the role of the (self-declared) filmmaker?
- What do you imagine are the relations of film to fieldworker to fieldwork?
How would you classify these films, considering:
- ethnographic "truth"
- politics of representation
- Kind of ethnography
- Role of ethnography in making of the film
- Reflexivity (positioning of filmmakers within the film)
- Cinematographic style
- Editing style
- Position of music
- Intentionality
Films and clips
(some of the following are clips, others are full films. For full films you may watch only a few minutes to get the feel... For clips, you may like to watch other segments from the same film...).
The Land Where the Blues Began
The Drums of Dagbon. Compare to fife and drum music in the above...
More Than Just a Game: Competitions and Celebrations in Ethiopia, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, and Sudan
Jumpin' Night in the Garden of Eden. Jewish music for everyone. But it's a revival...who's the ethnomusicologist?
Listening to the Silence: African Cross Rhythms
Shozan Tanabe: The Sound of Silence. A very different concept of silence...or is it?
Witch Catchers and Possession Ceremonies (03:26) From Title: Healers of Ghana
Bushmen Cosmology (01:17) From Title: Last of the Bushmen
Female Rappers in Syria (06:57) From Title: Rap Refugees: Conservative Palestinian Education in Flux
Zimbabwe—Untapped Resources: (04:35) From Title: Why Women Count Video Clip Collection: Africa, Middle East, South Asia See also Dudu Manhenga's website
Shadow and music in the Buduburam Liberian refugee camp of Ghana
Some online sources of ethnomusicological film (ethnographic or documentary)
Please add to this listing...