Cultural Representaion and Political Unconsiousness : A Basic Study of African Musics in Comtemporary Japanese Popular Culture.

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In my research results I pointed out that reflections on the conjuncture of globalization, economic advantage and african musics as part of World Music have a possibility of making some 'new imaginations of Africa' in Japan. As Russell points out as follows (see Russell, J.G., 1992 : 314-315), "The representation of blaks follows conventions largely derived from Western racial categories and hierachies. ---While Japanese themselves often fail to recognize these images as racist (a response not unlike whites first confrontes with their black stereotypes), Japanese representation of blaks tends to be condescending and to debase, dehumanaize, exoticize, and peripheralize the black Other---", I must say that Japanease representation of blacks (especcialy 'of africans') is sitll reporpduced through Japanese popular culture, even consuming african popular musics. However, I found that the point Russell insisted on is only one negative aspect of popular culture. African musics as World Music have been accepted in alternative ways did not abondon difference and otherness as the 'imagined' locality within the system of global cultural reproduction. For example, Mama du Dumbia, who came from Paris via Mali and a famous gutarist in Euorpe, has started his musical performance with his group 'Mandinka' including someJapanese performers. Why he diecided playing his musics in Japan as his home town? For only getting Japan Money? No, he also see a possibility making up new images, new relationships between Africa and Japan.