On Sound as Substance: Indigenous Approaches to Sound / Sound as Medicine

Music is perhaps widely known to serve as a means of collective and individual healing. But to what extent do we take sound seriously, beyond the auditory experience? What thoughts come to mind when we consider sound as its own sovereign being, containing substance and functioning as an actual medicine—a means that can influence physical and mental well-being?

In this podcast, the second in a series of conversations recorded at Le Guess Who?’s Sound & Culture Summit, four artists and musical practitioners with Quechua, Coptic, Diné and Maasai origins engage in open conversation about their own perceptions and experiences with sound. Together, they reflect on their earliest sonic environments and the elements which inform their musical vocabularies.

‘On Sound as Substance: Indigenous Approaches to Sound / Sound as Medicine’ features sound and multimedia artist Raven Chacon, turntablist and producer Giulia Loli (also known as Mutamassik) and vocalist and narrator Lengai Loita (who together form Ancient Indigenous Africans). The conversation is moderated by multidisciplinary artist, activist and organizer Chihiro Geuzebroek.

Audio recording by Marc Broer
Editing by Margaret Munchheimer
Photography by Noah Schielen