What's Up with Sub-Saharan Folk?

    Because of the cultural variation found throughout all of Africa, the arts are divided up into regions stylistic regions. That being the case, Sub-Saharan African music belongs to the regions south of the Sahara, ranging from Ghana or Nigeria, to Angola or Mozambique.[1]  This regional diversity is responsible for a unique, but varying music style.

(Green Represents Sub-Saharan Africa)

          Being that Sub-Saharan Folk was formed so long ago, it makes it difficult to determine an exact starting date for this music genre. However, we can confirm that civilizations were forming in this part of Africa as early as 2000 B.C, the first one being the Khoisan. [4] Then as towns and other groups began forming as time went on, the music of the Sub-Saharan began to flourish.

          At first, this style of music had definitely begun to form its own developed sound. But as time continued on, the changes in the area affected the music. The most prominent example of that was the beginning of colonization of Africa.[4] This brought the influence of the European countries into the Sub-Saharan area. Various things such as instruments and vocal infliction were influenced over time. The styles from across the water were gradually absorbed into the already booming genre of the folk music.  


                                                                                                                            Signing Off,

Brianna Jones