Forced migration: A cause to syncretism of African musical forms, identities and cultural meanings

Abstract

Forced Migration entails tracing and studying the historical background of migration of Africans to America and other European countries; Forced Migration endeared itself to buying and selling of Africans who were acculturated to the European-American cultural forms that caused the syncretism of Africans' musical forms, identities and cultural meanings. Through the analysis of Kenyan traditional music, this chapter explores the historical background and provides examples of African musical styles before and after Colonialism, and examines how Forced Migration largely affected the development of African musical forms, identities and cultural meanings.