{"id":902,"date":"2023-12-14T17:08:55","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T22:08:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/wrt118st-fa23\/?p=902"},"modified":"2024-08-28T15:51:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:51:53","slug":"this-time-for-east-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/wrt118st-fa23\/this-time-for-east-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"This Time for EAST AFRICA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Link to the project<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beyond the Beats: Unpacking the layers of Eastern Africa representation in
\nWakawaka remix<\/p>\n

In embarking on the journey of remixing the iconic Waka Waka ( This Time for Africa)
\nsong, I had one goal in mind: to take the music and give it a fresh perspective by blending in
\nthe fantastic flavors of Africa. As a big continent, it was challenging to create a
\nrepresentation of all countries by including all customs and traditions, tourist attractions,
\nsocieties, and landscapes as well as not omitting something, so I settled for Eastern Africa
\nrepresentation because it is where I come from, traveled much, and thus had the confidence
\nof starting the project.<\/p>\n

The Waka Waka song is like a dance floor everybody knows; when asked anything about
\nAfrica, most of my friends always mentioned the music. Though football-related, it
\nachieved massive popularity as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is still
\nconsidered one of the best catchy, unforgettable songs to be composed. Therefore, its
\nimpact on making the continent a welcoming place must be addressed. It was highly used in
\nso many videos and carried an iconic dance that most of us find ourselves mimicking
\nwhenever in its presence. While achieving global success, this cannot stop it from being
\ncriticized. Cultural criticism of Waka Waka extends beyond its musical element. I
\nunderstand that it was composed to be an anthem for the World Cup, but the lyrics that are
\nmeant to convey a message of unity and celebration have yet to be used well through the
\nmusic video. The song presents a generalized and simplified version of Africa. You would
\nthink that in 2010, being the first and only year the World Cup happened in Africa, the
\nmusic video would try to exhibit some cultural representation, but its content is just
\nreduced to a singular homogenized expression and too much foreign representation.<\/p>\n

With the lyrics in mind, I collected images and videos that resonate well with the song while
\nalso giving an appropriate representation. I used pictures and videos that I took during my
\ntime in Rwanda and Tanzania (my home countries). I also asked friends from East African
\ncountries and some professional travel photographers from the region to give me images
\nand videos to use in the project because I felt that I would be creating a good piece that
\nactually represents what locals think is attractive, not the internet. However, I still got the
\npictures of flags used in the video from the internet and some pictures where I felt that the
\ncountry was misrepresented in the video. Through my video, I wanted to celebrate the
\ndiverse cultures, languages, and traditions and also highlight the distinctiveness and richness
\nof the countries present in the Eastern region of Africa. Besides coming from the place, my
\nproject was also fueled by little to no information on East Africa. From my experience,
\nmany people I encountered knew much about West Africa, South Africa, and North Africa
\n(due to it being in the Middle East), and very few really could name or recognize countries
\nin East Africa; thus, this project presented me an opportunity to promote a more accurate
\nand nuanced understanding of the region while simultaneously educating the audience
\nabout the beauty of this region.<\/p>\n

Along with this, critique played a significant role in my project. It gave me room to analyze
\nthe song and create a masterpiece through the process. It served as a start for the remix
\nbecause it was a process that involved me questioning and reinterpreting the lyrics in a way
\nthat could contribute to a deeper understanding of the original work while offering new
\nperspectives that challenge existing notions. The relationship between remixing, originality,
\nand identity was explored throughout my project process. Waka Waka song is an original
\nsong that has cultural roots in African rhythms, mainly drawing inspiration from the
\nCameroonian song. Through the act of remixing this iconic piece, the project pays
\nattributions to the original work but also serves as a commentary on it that offers insights
\ninto how a song could have various interpretations and be reimagined in the creative
\nprocess.<\/p>\n

Similarly, remix in this project functions as a form of critique. During the process of
\nassembling the clips, I got to converse with people giving me videos, and together, we were
\nable to reevaluate our perceptions and come up with new reflections and analyses about the
\nthemes in the song. Also, the remixed project prompted me to think about my original
\nintent when I was starting the project without really knowing what I wanted to create
\nbecause, throughout the process, I learned how to edit videos and make them go in the flow
\nof the beats of the song but also how to use the correct clips that would create my desired
\nimage. Hence, I had to think critically and gain a deeper understanding of the embedded
\nmaterials in order to remix them well.<\/p>\n

At last, as I was wrapping up my project, I concluded that remix, originality, and identity
\noverlap in a complicated way that is very blurry and challenging sometimes. Remixing is a
\ncreative process that transforms and repurposes, just as I employed it in my project to give
\nthe song a new purpose of representing East Africa. It challenges traditional notions and
\nbuilds upon existing works; thus, it can be seen as an original creation in itself. Identity
\nbecomes involved in this dynamic because remixing becomes a means of expression,
\nallowing us to convey our unique perspectives and personal narratives. For my project, I
\nborrowed Shakira’s song audio. Still, most of the images and videos were personally taken,
\nwhich concludes my project as an original remix with a perfect blend of old and new. By
\nembracing various cultures and traditions, there is so much I could have done to give an
\noutstanding representation had I had more time, but I hope that the viewers are able to feel
\nthe rhythm of the song, where every note tells a story of who East Africans are, how they
\nconnect, and what they represent!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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