Lesotho
Lesotho is a small country
of Southern Africa made of steep mountains sheltering
peasant communities living from agriculture (with maize as
a staple crop) and animal husbandry (cows, sheep, goats)
supplemented by the income from the men gone to work in the
mines of South Africa. This important male migration has
transfered the shepherding labour to the boys, children and
teenagers, depriving them of schooling.
In cooperation with local development organisation GROW, we have made a series of music
recordings with the inhabitants of several villages in
the Mokhotlong valley. A CD will be produced out of
these, the proceeds of which will feed the herdboys'
literacy program, managed by volunteer villagers with
the support of GROW.
We have also taken part in the Morija Festival, the largest cultural
event in the country. We recorded a selection of dances,
songs and instruments, in collaboration with the
organizer, Morija Museum and Archives. We then
conducted a series of interviews and music recordings
devoted to a rare instrument, the lesiba, also intended
to complement the Museum's sound archives.