Integrating Indigenous ways of Knowing and Being to Promote Individual and Community Wellness: Research Development through the Arts
May 31, 2024
Dr. McConnachie will discuss key challenges and implications of her work from the perspective of health and well-being across multiple levels and domains (e.g., physical, community, environmental, and economic). Many of these challenges and implications relate to how universities across the globe (under-) value artistic output and community-based knowledge. Equally important are issues related to convincing co-researchers and community members that the arts can provide quality data, that community engagement forges trust and connections, and that taking wellness into account opens opportunities for collection of knowledge.
Speaker
Boudina McConnachie, PhD, MMus, BMus, PGCE, RULS
Senior Lecturer and Department Head
Department of Music and Musicology
Principal Investigator, Africa Multiple Cluster project, Approaches to African Sonic Pedagogies
Rhodes University. Eastern Cape, South Africa
Dr. McConnachie is recognized as an African musical arts activist, particularly interested in the pedagogy of indigenous musical arts. This interest is evident in her contributions to academic discussions and conferences, such as her involvement in the "Unsettling Paradigms" conference at the University of Pretoria in 2022, which highlights her commitment to challenging and expanding the boundaries of musical arts education.
Her work extends beyond academia into the realm of copyright law and its implications for indigenous musical arts, as indicated by her publication on copyright complications and consequences at the international level. This demonstrates her dedication to addressing the legal and ethical considerations surrounding the preservation and dissemination of indigenous musical traditions.
Overall, Dr. McConnachie's contributions to the field of African musical arts are multifaceted, encompassing educational, activist, and legal perspectives. Her efforts aim to elevate the status and understanding of indigenous musical arts on both a national and international scale.