Thesis (M. Mus.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to determine the present state of the musical practices of the youth of the !Xun and Khwe San. The study formed part of the NRF project, Mother’s Milk Mother’s Muse, of which the objective was to document and preserve the music of South Africa’s indigenous cultures. This was done by recording the music of children during a series of mini-festivals. A further aim was to develop a renewed interest in their own traditional musical culture. The writer was chosen in 2003 as the project coordinator of the San people of Platfontein in Kimberley. That project has thus formed the basis of the present study of the current musical practices of the youth of the !Xun and Khwe San. Research was done through literature study and participatory action research. General information on these research methodologies is given in the second and third chapters. The ways in which these methodologies were put into practice in the writer’s own study are discussed in the last chapter. Teachers of the !Xunkhwesa school on Platfontein were asked to give their help with the project. These teachers, who teach the Arts and Culture learning area to various grades at the school, were responsible for completing forms with information on musical items. The children were then asked to bring traditional songs to class in the period before the mini-festival. These items were recorded during the mini-festival in September 2005. Descriptions and analyses of the songs are given in chapter five. Similarities with the characteristics of traditional San music as well as general characteristics of African music are also discussed. The conclusions and proposals are discussed in the last chapter. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is onderneem om die huidige musikale gebruike onder die jeug van die !Xun en Khwe San in Suid-Afrika te bestudeer. Dit het deel gevorm van die NNS projek, Mother’s Milk Mother’s Muse, wat die musiek van inheemse kulture wou bewaar. Dit is gedoen deur die musiek van die kinders op te neem tydens mini-feeste. Hierdeur is probeer om ‘n hernude belangstelling in die tradisionele musiekkultuur by die jeug te kweek. Die skrywer is in 2003 as projekkoördineerder vir die San by Platfontein, Kimberley aangestel binne die raamwerk van die Mother’s Milk Mother’s Muse projek. Dié projek het derhalwe die basis gevorm vir hierdie studie van die huidige stand van die musikale gebruike onder die jeug van die !Xun en Khwe San. Navorsing het by wyse van ‘n literatuurstudie en deelnemende aksienavorsing geskied. Algemene inligting van hierdie navorsingsmetodes word in die tweede en derde hoofstukke weergegee. Die wyses waarop die skrywer die navorsingsmetodes in haar eie studie toegepas het, word in die laaste hoofstuk bespreek. Onderwysers van die !Xunkhwesa skool op Platfontein is genader om hul hulp te verleen met die projek. Die onderwysers, wat elkeen die Kuns en Kultuurleerarea aan verskillende grade aanbied, moes vooraf sorg dat inligting van verskillende musiekitems op vorms ingevul moes word. In die tyd voor die mini-fees is die kinders dus uitgestuur om tradisionele liedere te gaan versamel en inligting daarvan in die klas te deel. Hierdie items is tydens ‘n fees in September 2005 opgeneem. Beskrywings en analises van die liedere word in hoofstuk drie weergegee. Ooreenkomste met die kenmerke van tradisionele San musiek asook met algemene kenmerke in Afrikamusiek word ook bespreek. Die gevolgtrekkings en voorstelle word in die laaste hoofstuk bespreek.