Acta Academica - Supplement 1, January 2012
Supplement 1, January 2012
Author Suzanne Human
This volume of articles originated as a result of an initiative during 2010 and 2011 among researchers in the cultural disciplines in the Faculty of the Humanities at the University of the Free State to form an interdisciplinary research group which discussed readings of mutual interest. The broad topic of these seminars was the Translatability of Cultures. As teachers of culture at a tertiary institution in South Africa we are constantly confronted with questions about the modes in which cultural translations continuously take place between "Africa" and "the West", sometimes unnoticed and sometimes in a premeditated way. A number of research articles grew in this context and related articles were solicited from colleagues in Africa, Europe and America to form this collection.
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 1 –19 (2012)
This article focuses on the ability of a historically important musical instrument in the East African country of Rwanda, the inanga, to contribute to the (re-)translation of issues related to unity and reconciliation efforts after the genocide of 1994. By concentrating on the transmission of tradition from Kirusu Thomas to Sophie Nzayisenga, from father to daughter, I underscore the significant changes in cultural contexts for historical and contemporary inanga performance while also positioning the instrument within the dominant cultural metaphors of 'blockage' and 'flow'. Throughout the article, I draw on inanga song texts to demonstrate the role of the inanga as cultural translator.
Musiek en die (her-)vertaling van eenheid en versoening in post-menseslagting Rwanda
Hierdie artikel fokus op die potensiaal van 'n geskiedkundig belangrike musiekinstrument in die Oos-Afrikaland van Rwanda, die inanga, om by te dra tot die (her-)vertaling van vraagstukke wat verband hou met pogings tot eenheid en versoening na die menseslagting van 1994. Deur my konsentrasie op die oordrag van tradisie van Kirusu Thomas na Sophie Nzayisenga, van pa na dogter, beklemtoon ek die betekenisvolle veranderinge in kulturele kontekste vir historiese en hedendaagse inanga-uitvoering, terwyl ek terselfdertyd die instrument binne die heersende kultuurmetafore van 'blokkasie' en 'vloei' posisioneer. In die artikel word inanga liedtekste deurgaans gebruik om die rol van die inanga as medium vir kulturele vertaling te demonstreer.
Art historiography and Bildwissenschaft : new perspectives on some objects by the Venda sculptor, Phutuma Seoka
Author Suzanne De Villiers-Human
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 20 –42 (2012)
It is argued that the apparatus of western art history has been sharpened by the current media consciousness. Typical art historical tools are self-consciously harnessed in the process of scrutinising objects which resist and expand these methods and theories. The focus is on some objects of Venda polychrome sculpture which "took the South African art world by storm" in the 1980s when these specimens of rural craftsmanship in wood were deemed fit to enter the gallery circuit. An analysis of the Venda sculptors' religious and social knowledge of the use of patterned decoration on ritual tools in wood, and of performances by firelight of myths of origin with wooden dolls during initiation rituals, informs my alternative interpretation of the modern polychrome sculptures steering away from issues of cross-cultural aesthetics, the dialectic of modernism and traditionalism and post-colonial studies. Rather, I interpret the works as medium-self-conscious objects which extend their own cultural and social agency to communicate more widely to a non-initiate audience which may include visitors to an art museum. This shift of focus from a history of art to a history of media effects an altered perspective on the objects themselves and on the methods used to interpret them.
Kunsgeskiedenis en Bildwissenschaft : nuwe perspektiewe op sommige voorwerpe van die Venda beeldhouer, Phutuma Seoka
Daar word geredeneer dat die gereedskap van die westerse kunsgeskiedenis deur die gangbare sensitiwiteit vir media verskerp is. Tipiese kunshistoriese apparaat word selfbewus ingespan in die proses om objekte te ondersoek wat hierdie metodes en teorieë teensit en uitbrei. Die fokus is op 'n paar Venda polichroom beeldhouwerke wat die "kunswêreld op hol gehad" het gedurende die 1980's toe hierdie voorbeelde van landelike vakmanskap geskik geag is om kunsgalerye te betree. 'n Ontleding van die Venda beeldhouers se religieuse en sosiale kennis van die gebruik van patroondekorasie op rituele houtvoorwerpe, en van rituele uitvoerings van oorsprongmites met houtpoppe by vuurlig gedurende inisiasiegeleenthede, is 'n bron van my alternatiewe interpretasie van die moderne polichroom beeldhouwerk en beweeg weg van vrae oor kruiskulturele estetika, die dialektiek van modernisme en tradisionalisme en die veld van postkoloniale studie. Dit word eerder as medium-bewuste objekte geïnterpreteer wat hul eie kulturele en sosiale vermoë om wyer te kommunikeer tot 'n nie-geïnisieerde gehoor (wat kunsmuseumbesoekers mag insluit) uitbrei. Hierdie verskuiwing van 'n geskiedenis van kuns na 'n geskiedenis van media het 'n veranderde perspektief ten gevolg op sowel die objekte as op die metodes waardeur dit geïnterpreteer word.
Music production in the intercultural sphere : challenges and opportunities
Author Hans Huyssen
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 43 –71 (2012)
As a South African composer working in a culturally, politically and ecologically heterogeneous environment, I deliberately refer to musical 'differences' in many of my works. The artistic vision developed in these works finds expression in the fusion of 'differences' and often highly disparate materials into unified forms of expression. In this article I respond to Kofi Agawu's contestation of 'difference' from a complexity perspective indebted to Edgar Morin's reflections on diverse systems and Paul Cilliers's interpretation of non-foundational complexity. I use informed performance practice to respond to the overarching topic of this volume - translation - and offer a discussion of my composition The Songs of Madosini (2002) as an instance of cultural translation.
Musiekproduksie in die interkulturele sfeer : uitdagings en geleenthede
As 'n Suid-Afrikaanse komponis werksaam binne die kultureel, politiek en ekologies heterogene kontekste van my omgewing, verwys ek in sommige van my werke doelbewus na musikale 'verskille'. Nietemin word musikale verskille - selfs hoogs uiteenlopende musikale materiaal - in hierdie werke in organiese uitdrukkingvorms gekombineer. In hierdie artikel antwoord ek op Kofi Agawu se aanvegting van 'verskil' vanuit 'n kompleksiteitsperspektief, met verwysing na Edgar Morin en Paul Cilliers se spesifieke vertolkings van stelsel- en kompleksiteitsteorie. Ek bespreek historiese uitvoeringspraktyk om tot die oorkoepelende tema van hierdie volume, naamlik vertaling, by te dra. Ek bespreek laastens my komposisie, The Songs of Madosini (2002), as 'n voorbeeld van kulturele vertaling.
Contextualising ethics in the practice of translator education : the case of the indigenous value system of the Basotho
Author Kobus Marais
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 72 –90 (2012)
This article develops the suggestions made in recent publications on translation studies concerning the role of the translator as an agent. The article discusses agency as a central theme in translation, and points out that it is not a value unto itself, but that it must be conceptualised within a value system. This value system, it is contended, is inculcated during the years of study at tertiary institutions. This suggests that the value system must be incorporated into the curriculum, the choice of which is left in the hands of the lecturer. Following the lead of Tymoczko, who argued for the internationalisation of translation studies, the indigenous Basotho value system and the concept of ubuntu, with its concomitant values, are explored as values that may be of interest to translation studies. If the study of translation is to be contextualised, so does ethics in translator education. The article reconsiders the implications of critical studies for ethics, arguing that it creates an impasse for human ethical action. As a value system that nurtures society and individuality, ubuntu may be a valuable alternative.
Die kontekstualisering van etiek in die praktyk van vertaler-onderrig : die Basotho se inheemse waardestelsel as gevallestudie
Hierdie artikel bou voort op die voorstelle wat in onlangse publikasies in vertaalkunde oor die rol van die vertaler as 'n agent aan die hand gedoen is. Die artikel bespreek agentskap as 'n sentrale tema in vertaling en wys daarop dat agentskap nie 'n waarde op sigself is nie, maar dat dit binne 'n waardestelsel gekonseptualiseer moet word. Hierdie waardestelsel word tydens die opvoedingsjare aan hoëronderwysinstellings vasgelê. Die waardestelsel moet dus binne die kurrikulum, waarvan die keuse by die dosent berus, ingebed word. Na aanleiding van Tymoczko se werk, wat 'n saak vir die internasionalisering van die vertaalkunde uitgemaak het, ondersoek die artikel die Basotho se inheemse waardestelsel en die konsep ubuntu, met die gepaardgaande waardes, wat vir die vertaalkunde van belang mag wees. As die bestudering van vertaling gekontekstualiseer moet word, geld dieselfde vir die etiek in vertaleronderrig. Die artikel herbesin oor die implikasies wat die kritiese teorie vir die etiek inhou en argumenteer dat dit 'n impasse vir mense se etiese optrede inhou. As 'n alternatief sou ubuntu, as 'n waardestelsel wat sowel die samelewing as individualiteit koester, van waarde kon wees.
Acculturation as translation : mimicry, satire and resistance in Chewa dance
Authors: Grant Nthala and Grant Nthala
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 91 –116 (2012)
The gulewamkulu mask dance is the major Chewa dance performed in all Chewa communities of Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. With this particular dance - and indeed with many others - historical connotations, cultural reverberations, and systemic institutionalisation come into play. The hierarchical organisation of the Chewa dance systems and the orderly and enigmatic tendencies of the dance displays are reminiscent of historical phenomena linked to the Chewa diaspora. In essence, mimicry, satire and other forms of enactment (often dramatic) in Chewa dance subtly or candidly unearth acculturative elements within the Chewa ethnicity. This article seeks to illustrate that the Chewa dances gulewamkulu and mganda constitute theatre and that their performance demonstrates a manifestation of traditional Chewa cultural features that have been altered or modified by borrowing from or adapting to other Bantu-related and European cultures.
Akkulturasie as vertaling : mimiek, satire en weerstand in Chewa-dans
Die gulewamkulu maskerdans is die belangrikste Chewa-dans wat in alle Chewa-gemeenskappe in Malawi, Zambië, Mosambiek, Tanzanië en Zimbabwe uitgevoer word. Met hierdie dans - soos ook in die geval met andere - geld historiese konnotasies, kulturele weerklanke, asook sistemiese institusionalisering. Die hiërargiese organisies van die Chewa-danssisteme en die ordelike en enigmatiese tendense van die dansuitvoerings herinner aan historiese fenomene wat met die Chewa-diaspora verband hou. In wese openbaar mimiek, satire en ander vorme van spel (dikwels dramaties) in Chewa-dans akkulturatiewe elemente binne Chewa-etnisiteit op 'n subtiele of openlike wyse. Hierdie artikel wil illustreer dat die Chewa-danse gulewamkulu en mganda 'n vorm van teater uitmaak, en dat die uitvoering daarvan 'n manifestasie van tradisionele Chewa kulturele kenmerke demonstreer deur middel van 'n ontlening aan of verwerking van ander Bantoe-verwante of Europese kulture.
Indigenisation and history : how opera in South Africa became South African opera
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 117 –155 (2012)
In South Africa, the exposure of opera to local cultures and circumstances has in time resulted in a number of opera productions that have departed from Western aesthetic norms and prompted innovations to the genre. These innovations can be traced in newly created operas as well as in the production of a number of operas from the standard canon that have been 'translated' to local contexts and social realities. This article explores the historical trajectory of opera production in South Africa from 1801 to the present through the lens of indigenisation and shows that, in its most subtle form, this phenomenon can be traced in local opera productions long before the issue of the reflection of indigenous cultures in opera became relevant. In constructing this history, the author hopes to identify moments when one musical element became another, or changed sufficiently to become a similar, but different element. Clearly, in discovering the South African roots of opera and understanding the many projects that currently characterise the opera scene in this country, the issue is not only one for cultural or textual analysis, but also, very pertinently, a matter for historiography.
Verinheemsing en geskiedenis : hoe opera in Suid-Afrika Suid-Afrikaanse opera geword het
Die blootstelling van operaproduksie in Suid-Afrika aan plaaslike omstandighede en inheemse kulture het mettertyd 'n verskeidenheid operaproduksies laat ontstaan wat afwyk van Westerse estetiese norme en wat vernuwing tot gevolg gehad het. Hierdie vernuwings kan gevind word in nuut-gekomponeerde operas, maar ook in die her-interpretasie van operas van die bestaande kanon binne plaaslike kontekste en sosiale werklikhede. Hierdie artikel volg die historiese trajek van operaproduksie in Suid-Afrika deur die lens van verinheemsing vanaf 1801 tot vandag, en toon aan dat verinheemsing in plaaslike produksies opgespoor kan word lank voor die verteenwoordiging van inheemse kulture in opera relevant begin word het. Deur die konstruksie van 'n geskiedenis van opera bly die skrywer sensitief vir die momente wanneer elemente van operaproduksie getransformeer of aangepas is terwyl die oorspronklike formaat steeds herkenbaar bly. Die ontdekking van die plaaslike wortels van die genre van opera en die ontwikkeling van 'n begrip vir die uiteenlopende gedaantes van huidige Suid-Afrikaanse operaproduksie is nie slegs 'n kwessie vir kulturele of tekstuele analise nie; dit is pertinent ook een vir historiografie.
Luc Peire's Mwinda Mingi (1955) : a Belgian abstract painting on the Congo
Authors: Julien Vermeulen and Julien Vermeulen
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 156 –188 (2012)
As a young artist Luc Peire (1916-1994) was influenced by expressionism, but by 1955, when he painted Mwinda Mingi, his work had become predominantly abstract. The Lingala-title suggests this shift may have taken place during his journey in the Congo and critics have often claimed that the painter's perception of African village life had a decisive impact on his new style. This assumption however requires a profound analysis taking into account the broader context of Belgian colonial art, Peire's contacts with modernist artists, the circumstances of his isolated life as a painter-in-residence, the gradual development of his abstract idiom and the ambivalent reception of his new work among expatriates and Belgian critics. The catalogue raisonné of his oeuvre mentions 1398 oil paintings, sixty of which have been inspired by Africa.
Luc Peire's Mwinda Mingi (1955) in die konteks van Belgiese koloniale kuns
As 'n jong kunstenaar is Luc Peire (1916-1994) beïnvloed deur die ekspressionisme, maar teen 1955, toe hy Mwinda Mingi geskilder het, het sy werk al oorwegend abstrak geword. Die Lingala-titel van die werk suggereer dat hierdie verskuiwing kon plaasgevind het tydens sy reis in die Kongo en kritici het dikwels aangevoer dat die skilder se persepsie van die plattelandse lewe in Afika 'n afdoende impak op sy nuwe styl gehad het. Hierdie aanname verg egter grondige ondersoek wat die breër konteks van Belgiese koloniale kuns, Peire se kontak met modernistiese kunstenaars, die omstandighede van sy geïsoleerde lewe as 'n inwonende skilder, die geleidelike ontwikkeling van sy abstrakte idioom en die dubbelsinnige ontvangs van sy nuwe werk onder uitgewekenes en Belgiese kritici, in ag neem. Die catalogue raisonné van sy oeuvre noem 1398 skilderye, waarvan sestig deur Afrika geïnspireer is.
After universalisms : music as a medium for intercultural translation
Source: Acta Academica 2012, pp 189 –211 (2012)
Postmodernity is characterised by the fundamentalisation of plurality. As Aleida Assmann (1996: 99) finds, difference is affirmed in the form of deviance, gaps, and radical alterity. Within this intellectual milieu, the acknowledgment of alterity and the acceptance of difference have become foremost ethical claims (Assmann 1996: 99). Appropriating the thought of Goethe, she finds that the emphasis shifts from the embrace of the One to an encounter with the mode of the Two (Assmann 1996: 100). This encounter is marked by awe and surprise, but also by the shrouding of each of the Two as if cloaked in eternal solitude. The question posed in this article is whether Assmann's viewpoints may enhance a reading of a work from the South African art music repertoire, Hans Huyssen's Ciacona & Tshikona (2007). Engaging with a broader selection of viewpoints on cultural translation, it is asked whether Assmann's (1996: 99) notion of otherness is a productive context for mediating a meaningful encounter between cultures and whether, as such, it is relevant to an interpretation of Huyssen's work. A speculative interpretation of Huyssen's Ciacona & Tshikona reveals that the work is suggestive of a complex heredity being translated into an 'impure' new South African contextuality.
Ná universalismes : musiek as 'n medium vir interkulturele vertaling
Postmoderniteit word deur die fundamentalisering van pluraliteit gekenmerk. Soos wat Aleida Assmann (1996: 99) bevind, word andersheid deur middel van afwyking, gapings, asook radikale veranderlikheid bevestig. Binne hierdie intellektuele milieu is die erkenning van veranderlikheid en die aanvaarding van verskil 'n primêre etiese aanspraak (Assmann 1996: 99). Deur middel van 'n toe-eiening van Goethe se denke, bevind sy dat die klem gevolglik vanaf 'n omarming van die Een na 'n ontmoeting met die modus van die Twee verskuif (Assmann 1996: 100). Hierdie ontmoeting word deur verwondering en verrassing gekenmerk, maar ook deur 'n omhulling van elk van die Twee asof deur 'n mantel van ewigdurende afsondering. Die vraag wat in hierdie artikel gestel word, is of Assmann se gesigspunte 'n lesing van 'n werk vanuit die Suid-Afrikaanse kunsmusiek-repertorium, naamlik Hans Huyssen se Ciacona & Tshikona (2007), mag verryk. Met inagname van 'n breër seleksie van gesigspunte rondom kulturele vertaling, word daar gevra of Assmann (1996: 99) se idee van andersheid 'n produktiewe postmoderne konteks vir die mediëring van 'n betekenisvolle ontmoeting tussen kulture bied en of dit, as sulks, relevant is vir 'n interpretasie van Huyssen se werk. 'n Spekulatiewe interpretasie van Huyssen se Ciacona & Tshikona bring aan die lig dat dit 'n vertaling van 'n komplekse erfenis na 'n 'onsuiwere' nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse kontekstualiteit suggereer.