“I WAS PART OF THIS WHOLE NEW MOVEMENT”: A NARRATIVE STUDY OF THE DRAKENSBERG BOYS’ CHOIR AND ITS ROLE IN NATION-BUILDING AT THE END OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

This study investigates whether the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir played a role in nation-building in South Africa towards the end of and post-apartheid. The investigation included consulting the literature on the topic and three interviews with Drakensberg Boys Choir alums who were members of the school (and choir) during this time in South Africa. A brief overview of the history of South African music during apartheid is given for context. The narrative research design was chosen for this dissertation so that interviewees could tell their stories and have them presented as authentically as possible, in consideration of the sensitivity of the topic. Reviewing the narrative research design process (as advised by Creswell (2005:480), the interviews were restoryed to help the reader make sense of the information collected. Themes were created from these restoryed interviews to allow for a deeper understanding of the interviewees' experiences. The findings of this study are presented in the conclusion of this dissertation.