Epistemic Decolonisation through Musical Reclamation

A Literary Analysis of Indigenous Music and Reformed Worship in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

Abstract

This study examines epistemic decolonisation through musical reclamation within the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) via a comprehensive literary analysis of ecclesiastical texts. The study employs postcolonial literary techniques to examine liturgical records, hymnographic texts, missionary correspondence, and contemporary theological writings from the mid-nineteenth century to the present time, in the context of decolonial initiatives. The analysis illustrates the systematic imposition of Scottish Presbyterian musical traditions on African congregations through complex textual strategies that marginalised indigenous musical knowledge systems, notably by suppressing African rhythmic patterns, indigenous hymnody exemplified by Incwadi Yamaculo amaXhosa (1929), and traditional musical instruments. This study employed a contrapuntal analysis of religious materials to demonstrate how colonial missionary writings established hierarchical distinctions between European and African musical practices, so constructing discursive frameworks that continue to influence contemporary worship. The article outlines three distinct approaches for musical decolonisation within UPCSA materials: progressive textual integration, radical textual modification, and contextual textual adaptation. The findings indicate that successful decolonisation requires not only practical liturgical changes but also a fundamental transformation of the textual structures that influence church practice.