Visa For Music: A springboard for Africa’s musical heritage
At a conference on the «Promotion of African musical heritage», held as part of the 10th edition of the Visa For Music festival, Moroccan and African artists and experts called on Thursday in Rabat for the protection of intellectual property (IP) as a lever for the promotion of African musical heritage.
In a speech at the opening of the conference, the festival’s founding director, Brahim El Mazned, pointed out that three forms of traditional African music were represented by artists and experts attending the meeting: Congolese Rumba, Morna from Cape Verde and Moutya from the Seychelles.
The panellists were unanimous in stressing the importance of protecting the various forms of musical expression, considered to be «an integral part of African identity that needs to be passed on and preserved», noting that the programme for this 10th edition of Visa For Music is characterised by its great diversity, bringing together modern musical groups with traditional ones.
Women were represented by Solange Cesarovna, a Cape Verdean artist and composer, and director of the «Sol Music pour copyright» company.
In a statement to MAP, the musician said she was delighted to take part in this debate on Africa’s musical heritage and the preservation of its traditional forms, in particular the Morna.
«The Morna is an emblematic genre of Cape Verdean music, combining song and dance with poetry», explained Ms Cesarovna, «We are here to discuss the relationship between this intangible cultural heritage and intellectual property, the aim being to protect copyright and guarantee an income for these artists who fly the flag for their countries and their continent», she added.
In a similar statement, Galen Bresson, Director of IP at the Seychelles Institute of Culture, said that the musical tradition unique to each African country “must at all costs be protected, particularly through IP registration”.
«African artists and music professionals have a duty to protect the IP and to involve young musicians in this fight, who combine modernity and tradition to great effect, particularly on digital music platforms», Mr Bresson insisted.
The 10th edition of the Visa For Music festival, organised from 22 to 25 November under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, features a rich programme of activities, including concerts, conferences and workshops, with over 80 countries represented.
The Visa For Music festival is intended as a forum for exchange and dialogue between artists and music industry professionals, including production companies, artistic agents, artistic directors, cultural institutions, the media and trainers.
Nick De MBella
