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The pursuit of knowledge can often take researchers in uncharted areas requiring the use of primary sources and experiencing cultures first-hand. In the case of Ubochi Igbokwe’s pursuit, she had to travel across the globe and even learn a new language.

Igbokwe is part of the inaugural class of the new —a program which connects selected students with a dedicated librarian and provides a stipend to cover additional research expenses.

Igbokwe is a musicology PhD student and used the stipend to travel to Japan this summer to study Igbo African masquerade music and the cultural impacts of the Igbo African émigrés.

Igbokwe shared the inspiration for his research topic, the fellowship and her experiences in Japan.

Can you share what initially drew you to your specific area of research?

As a student of African music, I have conducted extensive research on Igbo masquerade music and festivals in Nigeria. I have presented my research findings at various conferences in the United States, Portugal, Thailand, Ireland and Nigeria. Furthermore, selected portions of my work have been published in esteemed peer-reviewed academic journals such as the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance’s Yearbook for Traditional Music, the Journal of the Association of Nigerian Musicologists (JANIM), and the Journal of Nigerian Music Education (JONMED).

Motivated by the interdisciplinary approach to musicological studies at the ��ƷSM����ӰƬ, my pursuit of new knowledge, and the invaluable guidance of my advisor, Dr. Austin Okigbo, who encouraged me to explore new frontiers, I began to explore new and unresearched areas of African cultural expressions. This led me to discover African, especially Igbo settlements and the staging of cultural festivals in East and Southeast Asian countries, culminating thus in my current research on “Igbo (African) Performance Imagery and the Multicultural Transformation of Japan.”

“This opportunity provided a profound and enriching experience, enabling me to establish meaningful connections with Igbo and African immigrant communities.”

How has the fellowship program impacted your ability to pursue this research?

The CAAAS Graduate Summer Fellowship facilitated my pre-dissertation research trip to Japan in the summer of 2024. This opportunity provided a profound and enriching experience, enabling me to establish meaningful connections with Igbo and African immigrant communities. Throughout my trip, I actively attended and participated in socio-cultural activities at the various Igbo state union meetings, which are pivotal to my research. Additionally, I had the privilege of visiting the Nigerian Consulate in Japan and engaging with various embassy personnel, solidifying my rapport with these groups and laying the foundation for sustained ethnographic research.

“Working closely with a librarian is encouraging, especially when it comes to knowing the speed and ease of access to library materials, especially those outside our institutional holdings.”

How has working with the University Libraries, particularly with the offer of the support of a dedicated librarian, impacted your research process?

Professor Deborah Hollis approached me after my Oct. 8, 2024, presentation and assured me the library would fully support my efforts to obtain the necessary research materials. Working closely with a librarian is encouraging, especially when it comes to knowing the speed and ease of access to library materials, especially those outside our institutional holdings.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while conducting your research, and how have you overcome them?

During my initial pre-dissertation trip to Japan in the summer of 2023, I encountered great difficulty navigating my research location due to language barriers. However, after completing two semesters of Japanese in the 2023-24 academic year, supplemented by ongoing study this fall, I have acquired the necessary conversational Japanese skills essential for daily life in Japan. This linguistic preparation greatly facilitated my most recent trip to Japan.

How do you see your research contributing to a broader understanding of African and African American studies or global scholarship in your field?

My research aims to illuminate the patterns of African migrations in the 20th/21st centuries and their influence on the global dissemination of music and expressive cultural forms. I am particularly interested in examining how the emerging new African musical diaspora contributes to Japan’s transformation into a multicultural society. Hopefully, my research can add the missing layer to the current scholarship on Africa-Asia relations, which mainly focuses on trade and economic cooperation.

“Traveling to access primary sources and materials is integral to music ethnography.”

What role do you believe travel and access to primary source materials play in making your research more robust or meaningful?

Ethnographic research is significant in ethnomusicological studies, representing a critical rite of passage. Traveling to access primary sources and materials is integral to music ethnography. Given that my research focuses on human subjects, cultural immersion through participant observation is paramount. This cultural immersion in the Igbo African immigrant communities aims to deepen my understanding of the “Matrix of meanings and experience” as it exists in the diaspora communities. Furthermore, I hope to examine how they utilize masquerade music festivals to negotiate, insert and assert their unique identity within the Japanese cultural space.

What advice would you give to other graduate students who are just starting their research in similar fields?

Pursuing new knowledge could resolve long-standing inquiries within your field of study; your research may have the potential to address existing questions and make a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge.