Morning in Zimbabwe Village

I grew up in the countryside, so every time I visit rural parts of the world I like to explore the sounds of the human landscape. Villages are excellent habitats for a variety of wildlife, and often the liminal spaces between inhabited and wild landscapes are full of lush birdsong.

Whenever possible, I like to experience and record these rural soundscapes. On my recent trip to Zimbabwe I managed to obtain permission from a local family to set up a recording rig on the edge of their homestead. This was the rainy season, so there was a lot of birdsong everywhere. My aim was to capture the moment daylight breaks, and the transition from nighttime insect chorus to birdsong and livestock calls. I can imagine this transition as a giant series of faders – with the sounds of the night becoming softer and daytime sounds slowly entering the soundscape.

What can be heard beyond the individual sounds and the transitions? Much like the village I grew up in, this homestead encourages social interaction. A great deal of the day is spent chatting with family members and neighbours. The needs of the community are important, and there is great emphasis on working as a group. Sharing resources is crucial and teaching is done by telling stories around a campfire. Although there is a fence to keep nosy hyenas away, there is hardly any separation between human, domesticated and wild life. More importantly, the soundscapes here are calm and natural with little traffic or aircraft noise.