When I started the journey of writing this essay, I wondered at length what topic to propose and what tone it should take. Since the Yearbook for Traditional Music is a highly respected, international ethnomusicological journal, should I speak as an exponent of a small national ethnomusicology or am I allowed to take a more personal stance? Should I use this space for more canonized thoughts or could I allow myself to propose untested ones, to speak from this specific moment, inspired by recent musical events and readings? Although ethnomusicologists at home tend to be resentful when treated as only the providers of ethnographic material, should I present information in its historical, political, and social context or could I try to put forward some broader ethnomusicological thoughts?
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