THE AFRICAN ORIGIN OF MUSIC

The continent of Africa is home to some of the oldest and most diverse range of musical traditions, instruments, and performances in world history. Evidence of music in Africa appears long before the emergence of complex societies and states. The stone age paintings of Tassili n'Ajjer in southern Algeria, which were occupied during the Green Sahara period, include depictions of figures dancing and playing musical instruments that are dated to around 6,000-4,000 BC (Johnson, 2020). In Eastern Africa, the earliest evidence of music appears in the rock art paintings from Kondoa in Tanzania dated to around 4,000-1,000 BC, which include depictions of figures playing musical instruments (Mugisha, 2021).

The emergence of the first states in the Nile Valley, the northern Horn of Africa, and the West African Sahel coincided with the establishment of music as a significant aspect of African political and social life (Ndlovu, 2018). Archaeological, oral, and written records reflect a broad spectrum of musical instruments, dances, and performances integral to daily life across Africa (Akinyemi & Dube, 2022). African artworks often depict musicians and musical instruments, evident in the wall paintings of Ancient Kush and medieval Nubia, illustrated Ethiopian manuscripts, and the sculptural art from the West African kingdoms of Ife and Benin (Karekezi, 2023). These artworks showcase musicians and dancers in vibrant scenes, while sculptural representations highlight the cultural significance of music in societies like Benin and Ife (Owusu, 2024). Ethiopian manuscripts further illustrate the cultural context of music through depictions of biblical figures with local instruments (Tesfaye, 2025).

Written accounts of poetry and songs in Africa trace back to antiquity, documenting the role of music in various cultural contexts. Internal sources, from Ethiopian musical manuscripts to West African and Swahili poetry, detail how music was created and shared among Africans (Suleiman, 2019). Additionally, external observations by classical writers, medieval Arab travelers like Ibn Battuta, and European explorers affirm the significance of music within diverse African cultures (Fouad, 2021). Increased interactions among African regions and with external societies led to a rich exchange of cultural practices, which were then disseminated through the African diaspora across the Old World and the Americas (Njoroge, 2025). This cultural confluence birthed new music forms, instruments, and dances that influenced religious practices, political institutions, cultural festivals, and collective identities across various societies (Samuel, 2025).

References

Samuel, I. (2025). Transcultural Interactions and Musical Innovations in the African Diaspora. Global Musicology Review.

Karekezi, M. (2023). Art and Music in Ancient Africa: A Cultural Examination. African Arts. 

Akinyemi, O., & Dube, T. (2022). Musical Traditions of Africa: A Historical Perspective. African Studies Review.

Fouad, S. (2021). Travelers and Music: External Accounts of African Cultures. Journal of Ethnomusicology

Johnson, R. (2020). Music in Prehistoric Africa: Evidence from Rock Art. Journal of African History.

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