An interview with anthropologist Camee Maddox-Wingfield explores how practitioners of bèlè on the island of Martinique find agency, healing, and connection.
What Did the Stone Age Sound Like?A team of archaeologists is working to uncover whether ancient objects in South Africa were once used as sound tools to make noise or music.
dear gretasAn anthropologist offers a letter-poem for the pandemic era to environmental activist Greta Thunberg—and to the rest of us—while re-envisioning our species as Humo ludens collaborans (humorous playful collaborators).
Tapping Into Ancient SoundscapesAn archaeologist shares the results of new research on musical instruments in Southern Africa.
When Coronavirus Emptied the Streets, Music Filled ThemA singer-songwriter anthropologist who has been experiencing Italy’s COVID-19 quarantine reflects on how pandemic-inspired songs connect people and reveal shifting power dynamics.
Digging Up WoodstockAn archaeological investigation of the famous festival site unearthed evidence hidden in the haze of memory.
The Deep Roots of Navajo Country MusicAn anthropologist explores how one Native American community embraces country music and makes it their own.
Why Navajos Love Their Country MusicAn anthropologist who is also a singer-songwriter explores how Southwestern Native bands shake up the notion of “cowboys and Indians.”
A Double Bass, Tree Rings, and the TruthGrowth rings in wood can be used to date some surprising objects—even stringed instruments.
Dancing “My Humps” in Rural ChinaMiddle-aged women use private online space to organize their public square-dancing performances. The new technology has changed their dance moves—and their lives.