Thumb (Played) Metal Instrument
!Kung musician playing mbira
Audio
Thumb (Played) Metal Instrument
*Content Advisory:
The term “bushmen” in this album’s title and descriptive notes has negative connotations, such as the stereotyping of people deemed “primitive.” This stereotypical name for the San, the Indigenous people of Southern Africa, suggested their inferiority in relationship to the colonizers. The !Kung people are a distinct nation within an ethnolinguistic group often referred to as San, or Khoesan, whose ancestry can be traced to the first modern humans in Africa. Smithsonian Folkways does not condone the inherent racism of the above terms but has chosen to leave the album as published in its original state to serve as a historical document. However, we encourage the listener to learn more about how the !Kung prefer to be represented. Click here to learn more.
- Anna Kate Cannon, 2021–22 Dumbarton Oaks Fellow at SFR, Samantha Parton, SFR 2022 Intern, and Dr. Lee Watkins, Director of the International Library of African Music, contributed to this statement.
For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.