I agree that Rhiannon is an amazing musician and folklorist, and has some a lot to bring awareness about the origins of banjo. I am a big fan of her music. That being said, Bela IS blending in with the people he’s meeting. He centers the project on the musicians themselves, and sees whether he can add something to them or not. He doesn’t use them as backdrop for his show. You are complaining about something that you wish would have happened. Would it have been good? Possibly. But that doesn’t diminish what there is, except against your wishes. doesn’t diminish this work.

I live in Uganda, I'm a Musician, an anorak of sorts, and even I didn't know till today that Bela Fleck was in Uganda! Incredible.

The greatest "thumb piano" player in Africa was a woman, the late Stella Chiweshe from Zimbabwe. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIG6noqhbdqpY6s kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioTCdYGVh5KqbcU Here is my opinion. Historically, every single culture on the planet had gender roles, which were shaped by their environment and culture. Some African cultures were more strict, others were fluid. Each needs to be analysed in context. - First, musicians in Africa made their own instruments, directly from raw materials. In some African cultures, Women did not play certain instruments simply because they did not build them. They had less time to learn how to as they were in charge of farming, the homestead and several "minor" but time consuming jobs. Men had more free time as they had fewer but much more difficult and dangerous jobs and responsibilities such as taking care of likestock (i.e cows), smelting and forging, and defending their people from wild beasts and foreign invaders. Some instruments were only played by women, such as those tied with fertility or harvest rituals. Over time, these natural developments came to be seen as unbreakable custom, in many cultures. - Next, every aspect of African culture and traditions is tied with spirituality. In many African cultures the spirituality cults were led by elderly women and women, who came up with all kinds rules, whether justified or not. Over time different kinds of music and instrument became tied to different occasions, social caste, genders etc. Certain instruments were only played by the blacksmiths, this was common in many west African cultures. Other instruments, were restricted to spiritual leaders, kings and "royals" such as war drums. - In West Africa, the griots, were a cast of storytellers, historians and entertainers. Only they had access to certain instruments. Other casts had other roles, such as farmers, slaves, blacksmiths, and didn't have time to learn complex griot instruments. Next, learning to play griot instruments developed a negative stigma within the noble casts because the griots were looked down on as a lowly cast whose only purpose was to serve others with their talent. So noble were often banned from playing griot instruments.