Emics and Etics Re-Examined, Part 3: The discourse about others’ music: reflecting on African-Brazilian concepts

Abstract

Comparison of contemporary African and so-called African-Brazilian musics is possible to a limited extent as an experimental tool. Without disregarding the methodological problems, which are implicit in any comparison of a cross-cultural nature, I wanted to test some assumptions regarding the historical, linguistic, and organological links between the Brazilian berimbau musical bow and the Angolan mbulumbumba musical bow from Wila province (Kubik 1987, Oliveira Pinto, 1986). To gain insights about the musicians' concepts, i.e. their "emic" theory, it is necessary to learn from their verbalising of specific problems and aspects of their music. In addition, the discussion on something which is completely new from the Brazilian musicians' point of view can complement their discourse about musical practices.