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© Kamla-Raj 2006 J. Hum. Ecol., 20(1): 31-35 (2006)
Music Therapy in Traditional African Societies: Origin, Basis
and Application in Nigeria
Charles O. Aluede
Department of Theater Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
KEYWORDS Music Therapy. Music Therapist. Faith Healer. Herbalist
ABSTRACT The use of music in healing and healing rites in African traditional societies is as old as the origin of African
Continent. This paper attempted a historical origin of this art, provides a theoretical basis for Music Therapy in Africa and
concludes by specifically highlighting areas where the use of Music Therapy has yielded fruitful results in Nigeria.
INTRODUCTION
An examination of the functions of traditional
African music in African societies reveals that
music is woven around every event of the
Africans life from birth through to death. Ab –
initio African music scholars have in great depth
discussed music and its state in Africa. However,
there appears to be an alarming paucity of records
on the healing properties of African music. This
development has generated questions like, is
music therapy a very new phenomenon in African
culture? How old is music therapy in Africa? Has
music therapy in Africa any theoretical basis?
Who is a music therapist in Africa? And what
kind of training does a music therapist undergo
in Africa?
While this paper will attempt to provide
answers to the myriad of questions raised in the
above paragraph, it should be preemptively
registered that because certain skills in Africa are
daily exercised in ordinary contexts, little or no
importance is therefore attached thus usually
overlooked and musical skill is one.
MUSIC THERAPY
1. What is Music Therapy?
Structurally speaking, music therapy is a
compound word which requires separate
treatments for the sake of clarity. Patrick (1972)
observes that music is one of the fine arts which
is concerned with the combination of sounds with
a view of beauty of form and the expression of
thought or feeling. To Dickens (1969), therapy is
derived from a Greek verb Therapeuim and its
noun therapeia. In his view, therapeuim means
“to take care of” while Therapeia means “service
and treatment”. He opines further by saying that
the word heal has various derivations all meaning
whole. He further observes that not one of us is
really whole; we all need help to find and fulfill
ourselves. Music therapy can therefore be defined
as the art of using musical sounds in bringing
changes from undesirable unhealthy conditions
to a more comfortable one in a person’s life.
2. The Origin of Music Therapy in Africa
Exactly when and how music began in
traditional African societies remains a puzzle till
today. In a report on music in West Africa,
southern writes:
It is impossible to know all of the facts about
the music of the past in West Africa because of
the lack of indigenous written records. We can
learn a great deal however, from two major
sources of historical information: the old
traditions of the land and the books written by
European travelers and traders (Southern 1971:
4). The two historical information sources also
had their demerits. While the indigenes could not
document their musical genre as a result of the
non-literate/oral circumstance they found
themselves, the European travelers simply had
primary economic motif. More than this, the
traders not being ethnomusicologists could not
have done any indepth documentation. Apart from
these factors, early Western musicologists owned
up their incompetence to study and analyze this
music hence Bukofzer (1957), concludes that a
historical study of non western music is at present
an unattainable goal as it lacks the kind of
historical documents they are used to in their
normal research.
Gouldron (1968), says it is doubtful that we
32 CHARLES O. ALUEDE
shall ever know when and under what
circumstances the first musical utterance was
made, yet every culture developed some form of
musical tradition and many of them possessed
legends. Farmer (1957) says a clay ocarina with
five holes portrays already flourishing music as
early as 10,000 BC. However, our earliest
civilizations have been estimated to have been
established no more than 8,000 years ago. The
African continent is made up of autonomous
groups who have incredible wealth of myths
legends about the origins of their musical genres.
In the opinion of McClellan (1988: 1), “Almost
all these legends attribute a divine origin to
music, in no case was music said to be invented
by humans. In the world’s mythologies music was
either discovered or was bestowed on us by super
natural beings”. Although for paucity of records,
the origin of music in Africa is unknown, it is
non-controvertible that world civilization started
from Mesopotamia and Africa – Egypt precisely
speaking. Music therapy without doubt, may have
evolved in about the same era.
To Bacharach (1977: 25), “Ancient Egyptian
civilization is nearly as old as Mesopotamian, and
there was probably some contact between the two
well before 2500 B. C., since at that time they
had many instruments in common, the Egyptian
instruments were at an earlier stage of
development”. In a similar view, Miller (1960:4)
says “Egyptian music was very likely quite
extensive. It had considerable influence upon later
Greek music and musical theory of the 7th century
BC.” He stresses further by saying that they were
responsible for the development of the harp and
Lyre family of instruments. Muir (1980) posits
that the world’s first keyboard instrument was the
organ. It was made around the third century B.
C. by a well-known Egyptian inventor and barber,
Ctesibius. These invented musical instruments
were not just for entertainment, sending war
signals and praising gods because healing through
music was a major function. To this end, Koizumi
(II 72025) notes that “in the Ancient Kingdoms
of Assyria, Babylonia, Sumeria and Egypt,
musicians were priests who calculated the
calendar and astrological measurements of the
heavenly bodies, supervised ceremonies and
cured the sick”. Although in this paper it is being
attempted to suggest that music therapy may have
started from Egypt based on her early civilization
beliefs, their quality of music is lost as the carving
and paintings on the walls and tombs simply
reveal certain musical instruments used in some
periods without any form of musical notation or
documentation. Where ever music therapy may
have first originated, one fact that is clear is that
this practice in found in all African States. Can
music actually heal? To this kind of question,
Randall McClellan observes:
… Music affect our individual bodies through
the principle of resonance, but music’s primary
advantage is that it works with the personal
(emotional) level as well as the transpersonal
(spiritual) level. The basic premise upon which
healing through music operates is that a primary
cause of disease is emotional stress and negative
mental attitudes that create energy imbalances and
blockages (McClellan 1988: 109).
3. The Theoretical Basis of Music Therapy in
Africa
All over the world, the Bible as well as other
great books of historical and revealed religious
knowledge potray general agreement on the
efficacious use of musical sounds in healings.
According to Paul Twichell, one time Eckankar
living master, the Hu sound pronounced (Hiu)
rules the entire universe. In his view, a moving
engine, the over all sound from transactions in
the market, sounds of water falls and oceans have
that Hu sound of life. Thus Hu sound heals,
rejuvenates and enlivens who ever sings it. In a
similar style, Swami Rama (1978) talks of Hindu
Swamis as being able to discard their bodies
(Soul/Astral traveling) and even performing
healings by chanting Aum. Supporting the above
view, Swami Prabhupada (1991) says in Krsna
consciousness, chanting can be done – two ways:
real chanting or singing the mantra called Kirtana
and that the martras if devotedly sung makes the
singer achieve physical and spiritual purity.
Rama (1978) and Prabhupada (1991) are for
sure not alone in this opinion Dom Cyril
vonkrasinki et al in Mitchell declare that music
is considered a vital source of spiritual
transformation, and vibrations are recognized as
cosmic manifestations of a spiritual principle. The
lamas (of Tibet) have developed a science as well
as an art of sound. They carefully cultivate
sensitivity to musical pitch and tone and the
moods thereby created they believe have the
power to heal or if mis-used, can cause illness,
according to the vibrations involved (Mitchell
Elsie, 1980: 12).
33
MUSIC THERAPY IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES
In 1 Samuel chapter 17 verse 10, the Holy
Bible gives a vivid account of how David played
the lyre to cure King Saul of his mental problem –
it was said that God sent evil spirits upon him.
This statement is further corroborated when on
this issue Sendry (1974: 24) said “… in the old
testament King Saul’s insanity was cured over
night by the power of David’s harp”.
The curative properties of music is not just
known in the religious circles alone. In the ordinary
social lives of the Africans this belief is held and
explored but what amazes one who is research
minded is the rarity of documented facts to rely
upon. This present paucity of materials is
obviously hinged on the fact that until very
recently, records in African societies were orally
kept. However, discussing music of Ancient
Egypt, Farmer (1957) says the Egyptians
performed music for its aesthetic beauty and its
spiritual meanings. While Theophrastus (370-
288BC) observed that “the sound of a flute will
cure epilepsy and a sciatic gut”, Coelius Antipater
(121BC) said “pain is relieved by causing a
vibration in the fibres of the afflicted part”.
Examining the situation in Nigeria, Lateef (1987:
199) posits that “Long before the mid – 1940’s,
when for the first time in the USA music therapy
began to be used as a specialty, music therapy
was one of the major aspects of the Bori religion
in Nigeria”. In African societies there are many
pointers which indicate their firm belief in and
practice of music therapy. A major one of such is
that music can be used to revive a dying person
or animal. In African States, there is this notion
that a dying person needs absolute silence
(perfectly peaceful atmosphere) to expire. The
belief is that the process through which the soul
detaches from the body is cumbersome and
requires quiet moments. To resuscitate a dying
person, a single tone of wind instrument is
sounded into the person’s ears. For little chicks
and other birds, a bowl is turned up side down
encircling the animal while a healing song with
intense drumming on the bowl is carried out. This
practice has quite often yielded results.
Just a note to end this segment, it means
Africans are certain about the healing nature of
musical sound and this idea has been in existence
long before now because in their belief the mind
rules the body hence Gotlib (1988: 134) opines:
“Only in the 1970s and 1980s did it become widely
accepted that illness results from a combination
of both physical and psychological causes (in
America)”.
4. Who is a Music Therapist in African
Traditional Society?
The vulnerability of traditional African music
remains the primary reason for its collective
ownership this is of cause why there is no
distinction between audience and performers in
Africa. This art is of many shades and so the
practitioners of this kind of therapy are also of
different types and they are:
i. Herbalists: These are traditional people
who are skilled in the use of herbs and animal
parts to treat human ailments. In Nigeria
these herbalists are purely traditional healers
and not native or witch doctors. They do not
consult oracle. They are simply known as
herbalists. As consultant healers, they know
when music can curatively be applied to
patients’ situation. Other forms of therapy
used by such practitioners include, blood
letting, Heat therapy, Hydro – therapy,
Massage etc.
ii. Native/Witch Doctors: These are people of
super physical powers who can read the
oracle and also understand the mysteries of
the coven and necromantic assembly. The
native doctors in Nigeria have special drums
made of the hide of Indian pythons. These
drums are usually consecrated before use.
The native doctors believe that wicked deeds
such as taking part in the spiritual attack of
relations, having evil hands in relations’
business can make one develop guilty
conscience that can manifest in emotional
sickness. When the drum is played for them
to dance to, they are moved to confess their
misdeeds and are therefore relieved of their
burden and completely healed. Music
therapy in the nationalities of Nigeria has
remained efficacious till date because music
has been identified to work on the emotional
and spiritual levels in a man’s mind. In this
vein, Sufi, Inayat Khan in McClellan (1988:
109) posits that “the existence of illness in
the body may be called a shadow of the true
illness which is held by man in his mind”.
iii. Faith Healers: Mume (1973) talks of faith
healing in Nigeria as being a medico-
religious practice. He gives an example of
such as “Igbeuku” – a sect found in Delta
34 CHARLES O. ALUEDE
Nigeria. Its parallel is the “Iyayi Cult” of the
Esan in Edo state, Nigeria. He posits further
that:
In the practice of religious Igbeuku, patients
are persuaded to confess their sins which torture
them, and once this is done, such patients feel
emotionally relieved after the priest has
pronounced them clean and subjected them to
rigorous dancing exercise (Mume, 1973: 62).
Mume’s book from where the quotation above
was excerpted has its caption as traditional
medicine in Nigeria and so cannot be completely
blamed for talking about dance without
addressing music. During the field trips which
culminated into this work, it was discovered that
confession of sins was done amidst singing,
drumming and dancing.
iv. Soothing Music: In the course of this
research, it was discovered that not much
has been written about what goes on during
male and female circumcision, bone setting,
traditional surgery and blood letting
exercises. In Nigeria, during the above
mentioned events, music is copiously made
to reduce the pains associated with the
surgical treatment being administered. The
texts of the music in this realm is usually
perseverance and endurance to enable good
result be achieved.
In all, all the musicians talked about in this
segment go through one prescribed course of
training or the other. the training techniques can
be summarized under apprientiship system with
role imitation, rhythmic memorization, dramatic
sketches, voice training and care giving as core
courses.
5 Application of Music Therapy in Nigeria
The use of music in the healing of sickness in
Nigeria has a scope. Not all disorders require
music therapy, hence other areas previously
mentioned in this work. music as a curative agent
is primarily used in the treatment of psychological
and emotionally induced disorders.
The Major Realms Where Music Therapy has
Proved Very Successful in Nigeria are:
1. During death of family members and
reviving a patient in coma
2. Healing patients tormented by spirits and
faith healing by traditional religious groups
3. Healing patients of general debilities
through music and dance.
1. Death of Family Members and Reviving
Patients in Coma: The death of a family
member is always a wound in one’s heart.
The natural reactions associated with such
news are initial shock; disbelief; denial;
emotional numbness; guilt feelings; anger.
– (watch tower Bibbe and tract society 2000)
expounding this issue further, they posited
that:
Acute grief may include: memory loss and
Insomnia, extreme fatigue, abrupt changes of
mood, flawed judgment and thinking; bouts of
crying; appetite changes, with resultant weight
loss or gain: a variety of symptoms of disturbed
health, lethargy; reduced work capacity; (2000:
9) The moody situation caused by death is
usually dispelled by music. This kind of music
though dirges are very philosophical as it talks of
life and describes this present world as a market
place where people meet and retire to there
abodes. Such songs also talk of hades as the final
resting place for all mortals.
Akin to this situations music is also used as a
reviving agent for a dying person or one in coma.
As a common practice generally in Nigeria and
the Esan of Edo State of Nigeria in particular,
herbalists and native doctors have Oko – a small
aerophone made of elephant tusk which is blown
into dying patients’ ears to resuscitate them.
Exactly how this principle works is yet to be fully
studied but Wallace in Russell (1998: 57) posits
that “The human voice as a development is far in
excess of anything that can be produced by natural
selection. Monkeys have no music in their souls
and no capacity for music in their vocal organs;
where as even the lowest races of man have both”.
This is presumably why music does a lot of things
to man.
2. Healing Patients Tormented by Spirits and
Faith Healing by Traditional Religious
Groups: Faith healing in Nigeria is purely
a religious affair devoid of herbal treatment.
This practice is found in the Bori cult of
Northern Nigeria, the Igbeuku and Iyayi
cults of Southern Nigeria to mention just a
few. As held by Mume (1973: 75), “Nigerian
faith healers are unlike the herbalists and the
native doctors. While the later group employ
herbal medication the former base their
strength on religious prayer and confession
35
MUSIC THERAPY IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES
of sins to release the mentally sick people
from their low dejected emotional spirits
which are responsible for their physical
ailments”. The faith healing has serious
reliance on music which is a major vehicle
in the healing processes.
3. Healing Patients of General Debilities
Through Music and Dance: All over
Nigeria, music and dance are principal to
church services be it orthodox or syncrethic.
The only point of difference is that while
the use of dance in orthodox churches is with
great finesse to eschew debased steps and
mind drifting activities some employ
rigorous traditional steps which have often
led to frenzy and ecstatic states. The music
and its associated dance in this setting has
been discovered to be of immense value in
the healing of ailments like dizziness, excess
fat, Arthero sclerosis and coronary
thrombosis, constipation and makes one
sweat profusely and be duly exercised.
IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE
While in some contexts the therapeutic
process require the willing acceptance of the
patient like in the case of Saul and David in the
Holy Bible, in the traditional setting, there are
dictatorial tendencies in the use of music by the
native / witch doctors. However, faith healers use
participatory management approach. This shows
that the therapeutic process and the success in
music therapy actually depend on the managerial
traditions of the group the music therapists
belong. Nevertheless, the tendency of the most
traditional music therapists is to involve the
patients seek their consent and make them
participate in the process.
This shows that the democratic and partici-
patory management approach needs to be empha-
sised and used in place of the laissez faire or
dictatorial management approaches. The involve-
ment of patients by the music therapists whether
as faith healers, herbalists or witch doctors there-
fore needs greater attention than are presently
applied.
CONCLUSION
This paper has been concerned with Music
Therapy in African Societies. It has examined its
origin and theoretical basis drawing relevant
accounts from the Bible and other related inspired
books. The findings reveal that Music therapy in
Nigeria has an age-old historical origin, which
can be used in the treatment of emotional and
psychological disorders effectively.
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