All in all, the concert elicited favourable reactions. The overall tone of the immediate oral feedback on the spot may be described as impressed and positively surprised, the topmost reactions being amazement that one can do such things with a balafon, admiration for the versatility of the sonic outcome, and appreciation for the meticulously rehearsed entity. The images reflected on the backdrop also received praise.
Nevertheless, one should bear in mind that such a one-sided response was to be expected, as those unhappy with a recital tend to politely slip out through the side exit rather than verbalise their doubts directly to the artist. Consequently, no negative views were voiced. Only one spectator subtly remarked that despite having appreciated the effort, they still prefer the acoustic sound of these instruments. Similarly, no allegations of possible maltreatment of meaningful cultural objects were made, either by those well-versed in the secrets of the Mande or by the less knowledgeable ones. This would tentatively support my contention that the affordance of a culturally bound instrument is intrinsically linked to the context, reinforcing the importance of the social environment and the material performed. In this regard, ancient kumbengos steeped in the memories and secrets of past generations differ fundamentally from self-created melodies venturing down experimental paths. The informal oral feedback did not suggest any notable difference between the image perceived by the audience and the performer’s understanding of their artistic identity, as the attention was solely focused on musical professionalism and not, for example, ethnicity or symbolism.
To allow dissenting voices to chime in, an opportunity to provide voluntary feedback anonymously was offered to the audience present. Respondents were informed that the author may later reflect upon their expressed views as part of this research.
Considering the written contributions, one should again bear in mind their presumed bias. People attending these types of concerts are by default interested in culturally multi-sourced arts, so the map of opinions they draw is somewhat dubious in terms of credibility. Due to the unilateral nature of the feedback, it would not be ethical from a research point of view to quote individual comments here, so I resort to merely outlining their general emphasis. This parallels the overall purpose of the anonymous feedback, which is to help at least partly gauge the current climate of opinion, offer guidance for future artistic processing, and encourage reflection on inspiration vs. appropriation in performing arts.
Open-ended feedback allowed the audience to depict their thoughts unrestrictedly. Upon exploring the anonymous wordings, a form of relational qualitative content analysis (Krippendorff, 2004, pp. 15–17) was used where applicable. The relationships and frequency of the topics the audience members brought up as topmost in their minds was assessed, as well as the way they were expressed, particularly paying attention to what tone, whether casual or concerned, they seemed to be given. This approach was applied to identify and interpret the connections between different themes in the feedback comments, focusing not only on what was said but also on how it was said.
The amount of written responses and their level of engagement highlights my earlier remarks concerning cultural appropriation as a research theme in terms of it being a subject that interests, stimulates, agitates, and often ignites artists and their audiences alike.
Overall, the anonymous commenters valued the influences from diverse cultures as enriching the field of music. Furthermore, mastering traditional instrument skills up to a professional level was considered possible for a non-native, as the amount of practice was deemed to outweigh the birth region. However, when considering teaching these skills to others, some contributors would prefer to be taught by a native teacher. On a larger scale, artistic freedom was recognised as a fundamental value, while emphasising that the sources of inspiration must be given due respect at all times. Familiarity with the relevant tradition and a thorough understanding of the cultural context were considered of paramount importance.
A degree of exasperation could be read in and through the lines. It may be interpreted that the finger-pointing tone often prevalent in public discourse contributed to the irritation, given that the topic tends to be volatile, provoking heated arguments (e.g., Lenard & Balint, 2020; Aikio, 2021; Kallioniemi & Siivikko, 2020; Nyman, 2021; etc.). Overall, the audience seemed very well-acquainted with the media churn. While discussing these issues was considered of primary importance, and the theme of this research praised as highly commendable, the bulk felt tired of the hyperbole.
From a researcher’s standpoint, I interpret the summary of all the feedback as both encouraging and thought-provoking. The general atmosphere was very permissive, suggesting that even non-natives lacking proper ancestry may play culturally rooted instruments like the balafon and kora as long as they do so with due respect, thoroughly acquaint themselves with the tradition, and without inappropriately exploiting anyone's intellectual property. However, the volatile nature of the ongoing dispute on appropriate practices looms large in people’s awareness, colouring their subconscious and initial sentiments about culturally diverse art as well.
