Preservation of the Huguette Bouffartigue

Ethnomusicology Collection

On the occasion of UNESCO's 2023 celebration of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, the United Music Foundation completes the preservation of a collection of 21 magnetic tapes from ethnomusicologist Huguette Bouffartigue. These tapes are part of the Musée d'Ethnographie de Genève (MEG) collections.

These 1/4" magnetic tapes were recorded by Huguette Bouffartigue during missions in Mali and Burkina Faso in 1968 and the 1970s, notably as part of a mission on African music for AUDECAM (University Association for the Development of Teaching and Culture in Africa and Madagascar). This collection also includes working copies of recordings made by other individuals (including Blaise Calame) between 1956 and 1961. This tape collection was donated to the MEG in 2007.

This preservation project was carried out by the United Music Foundation with the support of a grant from the City of Geneva.

A Fulani musician plays a piece from the hoddu lute repertoire.
This musical instrument has an elongated wooden body covered with a skin that serves as a soundboard.

Huguette Bouffartigue's field notebook.
Photo: (c) MEG-AIMP Documentation