The Spanish returned 640 traditional songs from eastern Angola for preservation and appreciation.

As part of a project to enhance the value of musical heritage, 640 traditional songs from the cultural collection of the Angolan province of Lunda Norte have been restored and digitized, and schools for music and local folk instruments have been established.

Research carried out over two years in villages in the province by Spanish musicologist and composer David López Sáez has led to the restoration of traditional songs, and the work will be on view until March 19 at the Camões Cultural Center in Luanda.

“Tambwe: Restoring, Valuing and Promoting the Musical Heritage of Kokwe” is the name of a project developed in this province that initiated the Tambwe Traditional Music School and another musical instrument school in the region.

The digitization of the Phonographic Fund of the Regional Museum of Dundo, capital of Northern Lunda, was one of the results of the work carried out in the region as part of this project, reported Luse David López Sáez, emphasizing the importance of research on Angolan culture.

The museum’s collection consists of records made in the mid-20th century by the disappeared Companhia de Diamantes de Angola (Diamang).

“The goal of the project is to restore, transmit and disseminate the musical heritage of Kokwe. We have an exhibition here that explains everything. Among the results we have achieved, we highlight the digitization of the Phonographic Fund of the Dundo Regional Museum,” said Saez.

According to the coordinator of the project, funded by the European Union and jointly financed by the Camões Institute of Cooperation from Portugal, worth 40 thousand euros, 640 restored folk songs have already been transferred in digital format to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Angola.

Likembe, kakholondondo and muyemba are some of the traditional Angolan instruments, commonly known as quissanje (a type of idiophone whose sound varies depending on its shape and is caused by its vibration), on display until the 19th at the Camões Gallery in Luanda.

The instruments were made by young people from the village of Kambuaji, who undergo ongoing education and training from adults/teachers with the aim of preserving and developing the musical culture of the region.

“[A escola] This is fundamental in the sense that one of the axes of the project is transmission. Thus, the school aims to pass on the knowledge of traditional Cokwe music to new generations so that they can better appreciate this culture,” explained David Lopez Saez.

The Spaniard from the La Mancha region, who has lived in Dundo for two years, said he was inspired to take part in the project by the director of the Orchestra of Angola, Capossoca, with whom he collaborates, and he is pleased with the results of the project, despite the difficulties associated with the project. transport to villages.

David Lopez Saez, 41, responsible for all research, emphasized the commitment of the communities that supported and participated in the project, as well as the positive results achieved.

At the end of the process, the investigator is now asking Angolan authorities to ensure its “proper use,” calling for the phonographic material now in the possession of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism not to be left in a drawer.

“I hope they put it to good use, I mean it would be a shame if it sat in a drawer. The songs they learn in school are the same songs that have been digitized, so the idea [foi] save and hand over,” he insisted.

According to the Spanish musicologist and composer, the project should stimulate and arouse greater interest, especially among young people, in the kisanje instrument, given that it is depicted on the back of the 1000 kwanza banknote (Angolan currency).

The exhibition, open to the public since last Tuesday, February 27, also depicts with photographs the project’s journey and provides QR codes allowing visitors to listen to various songs from Kokwe folklore through a mobile phone camera.