THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET IN THE ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTATION OF IGBO TRADITIONAL MUSIC

Abstract

Ever since the evolution of the internet, a lot has been done in terms of preservation of Etraditional music of various cultures throughout the world. The exigency of archivaldocumentation of traditional music is to be located in the fact that without such preservation,native musical artefacts may be permanently lost. Although there have been some random anduncoordinated attempts to preserve Igbo music in the internet, the fact is that much has not beendone formally in terms of a systematically organised archival/electronic conservation of muchelements of Igbo cultural music by well-placed Igbo or Nigerian institutions, such as has been doneby such well-known world-famous institutions like the Library of Congress and SmithsonianInstitution. In the present study, the author, while adopting the ethno-historical research approachof examination and evaluation of available historical evidence and literatures, seeks to demonstratethe urgent necessity as well as itemise means and methods of effecting an organized electroniccodification, cataloguing and archiving of artefacts and items of Igbo cultural music as a way ofsafeguarding them for future use and reference. As such, this research serves as a contribution to theeffort of preserving and promoting not only Igbo music but also, indirectly, Igbo language and otheraspects of Igbo cultural identity, as well as preventing their extinction.