The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956

In 1956, le bal, i.e. new forms of French-inspired music and dance were introduced among the Baga Sitem of French Guinea at a time of global youth consciousness. At the time, the youths fell fascinated by the new instruments and bodily languages of le bal, but their elders, much more attached to loc...

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Main Author: Ramon Sarró
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Universitário de Lisboa 2010-06-01
Series:Cadernos de Estudos Africanos
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/cea/93
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author Ramon Sarró
author_facet Ramon Sarró
author_sort Ramon Sarró
collection DOAJ
description In 1956, le bal, i.e. new forms of French-inspired music and dance were introduced among the Baga Sitem of French Guinea at a time of global youth consciousness. At the time, the youths fell fascinated by the new instruments and bodily languages of le bal, but their elders, much more attached to local forms of music and ritual dance, did not want to accept the new one in the public sphere. Based on oral history, this article discusses the tension between youths and elders and proposes a generational and structural approach to the study of youth and modernity, suggesting that the tensions between youths and elders, and between new and old forms of popular culture may be much more ancient than normally assumed.
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spelling doaj-art-e43c4e40134f453b9ceda40b2e5df5d82025-08-20T03:07:16ZengInstituto Universitário de LisboaCadernos de Estudos Africanos1645-37942182-74002010-06-0118637410.4000/cea.93The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956Ramon SarróIn 1956, le bal, i.e. new forms of French-inspired music and dance were introduced among the Baga Sitem of French Guinea at a time of global youth consciousness. At the time, the youths fell fascinated by the new instruments and bodily languages of le bal, but their elders, much more attached to local forms of music and ritual dance, did not want to accept the new one in the public sphere. Based on oral history, this article discusses the tension between youths and elders and proposes a generational and structural approach to the study of youth and modernity, suggesting that the tensions between youths and elders, and between new and old forms of popular culture may be much more ancient than normally assumed.https://journals.openedition.org/cea/93youthpopular cultureGuinea-ConacryBagaoral history
spellingShingle Ramon Sarró
The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
Cadernos de Estudos Africanos
youth
popular culture
Guinea-Conacry
Baga
oral history
title The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
title_full The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
title_fullStr The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
title_full_unstemmed The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
title_short The Magic Flute: How modern dances were introduced among Baga Sitem in Guinea in 1956
title_sort magic flute how modern dances were introduced among baga sitem in guinea in 1956
topic youth
popular culture
Guinea-Conacry
Baga
oral history
url https://journals.openedition.org/cea/93
work_keys_str_mv AT ramonsarro themagicflutehowmoderndanceswereintroducedamongbagasiteminguineain1956
AT ramonsarro magicflutehowmoderndanceswereintroducedamongbagasiteminguineain1956