Although participants pointed out many ways in which both the government and artists themselves can help support the industry through funding, communication, and hard work, they agreed that the music industry’s potential to contribute to Namibia’s stated goal of “Unity in Diversity” must be recognized by both the government and artists, as well as the general public, and that all community members must contribute to fostering a unique Namibian musical identity which celebrates diversity and originality.
Participants commented that Namibian audiences need to be more supportive of local musicians.
In particular, despite negative attitudes toward music as a career, as well as expression of LGBTQ+ identity and through certain genres like hip-hop, participants, along with scholars like Currier (2012), pointed out that such biases are often imported. This observation, along with progress toward decolonizing the church through music and language and toward decolonizing Namibians’ attitudes toward gender and sexuality,1 offers hope that educational reform and greater awareness of musicians’ experiences can help decolonize Namibians’ attitudes toward music as well.
However, participants recognized that in order to combat the undue influence of foreign artists, especially South African artists, the government must actively build a unique Namibian identity by creating platforms for local music while celebrating local artists.
“In my opinion, the best thing that a government could do for their own country is to make their own heroes[…]We have so many great artists.” Clip 14 TRIM
Indeed, the government, academics, and Namibian musicians themselves have begun to recognize and highlight Namibia’s existing musical heritage.
The Museum of Namibian Music (@museumofnamibianmusic on Instagram), established in 2021, seeks to bring the history of Namibian music to the public through engaging and interactive exhibits, while also engaging with musicians today. An exhibition called Stolen Moments – Namibian Music History Untold at the Independence Memorial Museum, seeks to preserve and showcase Namibian pop music from the apartheid era, much of which is at risk of being lost due to the censorship and repression that took place under the apartheid regime. The exhibit, developed by Namibian curators Aino Moongo, Lydia Nghilundilua, and Olivia Nakale, in collaboration with Iwalewahaus at the University of Bayreuth, in Germany, is on permanent display, and reservations are required to view it (the curators can be reached at +264 81 400 4412 or at contact@stolenmoments.info).
Academics have sought to bring the traditional music of some of Namibia’s ethnic groups to modern performers and audiences. A. de Villiers and du Plessis (2023) sought to revive the traditional music of the San people for modern South African choirs, while Sullivan and Ganuses (2021) brought the traditional music of the Damara people together with modern technology to recontextualize it for a modern audience. Meanwhile, the traditional music of the Himba and San peoples have been the subject of documentaries designed for a broader audience.2 Some of Namibia’s ethnic groups, in particular the Himba and San peoples, have been and continue to be exploited, especially through “the exploitation of visual images of ‘ancient and unchanging cultures,’”3 for the purposes of tourism. Given this context, further efforts to highlight traditional music must ensure that the communities they portray are consulted and that any profits are invested back into helping support those communities. Namibians have always used music as a medium for cultural and political expression, and the government can help build a unique musical identity by continuing to highlight the history of traditional and popular music in Namibia.
Participants commented that Namibian musicians themselves need to understand the history of Namibian music in order to help promote a unique Namibian musical identity rooted in that history. Indeed, bands like Namibian Tales and Tschuku Tschuku have highlighted and celebrated the traditional music of Namibia’s different ethnic groups while bringing it to new, international audiences.
The lack of opportunities at home has led many Namibian musicians to consider the benefits of marketing their music to an international audience.
However, they also emphasized the importance of building community at home first and focusing on what makes Namibian music unique, rather than trying to copy other musicians and genres.
On an individual level, participants encouraged musicians not to make the music that they think people want to hear, but to focus on engaging with fans who appreciate their music. While they acknowledged that this requires hard work, they emphasized that this work is necessary to build community.
“I think it’s up to the artist a lot to really maintain the connection to the audience[…]play your own songs enough and eventually they will.” Clip 21