THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HARARI MUSIC: THE CASE OF POP SONGS IN RELATION TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND CULTURAL POLICIES OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to show that cassette and CD recordings of Harari pop songs are significant in that they foster local knowledge of cultural traditions and may be useful in promoting public policies in the education and culture sectors. The method employed for this study is both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study is based on Harari songs released on seventeen cassettes or CDs, and is supplemented by an investigation of objectives set forth in Ethiopia's Culture Policy, and Education and Training Policy. Purposive sampling was considered and categories were delineated for the songs as well as the objectives of the policies. Then the core messages of the songs were compared with the objectives of the policies. The findings of the study indicate that thirty-nine songs reflected the objectives of the Education and Training Policy while eleven songs reflected the Cultural Policy. The core message of these and similar songs may best be evaluated in terms of the overt and subtle contributions of musical expressions in preserving local knowledge; they can be useful in promoting education, protecting cultural heritage, and maintaining societal norms and values.