Renowned ethnomusicologist Professor John Collins has joined the Dikan Center to lead a new initiative aimed at preserving Africa’s musical traditions. He now heads the Bokoor Department, a unit dedicated to archiving and promoting African music, theatre, and oral history.
With over 40 years of experience, Professor Collins is one of the most respected authorities on African music. He has donated his extensive personal archive to the Dikan Center. This collection includes approximately six million items—rare audio recordings, instruments, photos, manuscripts, and posters.
Many of these materials were at risk due to age and poor storage. However, Dikan has begun digitizing and cataloguing the collection. Once completed, the public will be able to explore it in the Bokoor Room at Dikan’s library. Selected items will also appear in future exhibitions.
“Joining Dikan gives us a real chance to protect and share these treasures,” said Prof. Collins. “I hope this will spark greater interest in Africa’s music history.”
Best known for documenting Ghana’s highlife music, Collins also founded Bokoor Studio. There, he helped record iconic artists such as E.T. Mensah, Fela Kuti, and King Bruce. His books—Highlife Time, West African Pop Roots, and African Musical Symbolism—are widely used in global music studies.
As department head, he will lead educational efforts and support new research. To that end, Dikan has launched the Bokoor Fellowship, designed for scholars and cultural workers interested in African music and heritage.
One of the department’s first major projects is the upcoming “100 Years of Highlife” exhibition in 2025. Collins is also working with UNESCO to push for highlife music’s recognition as global cultural heritage.
According to Dikan Center founder Paul Ninson, Collins’s arrival marks a turning point. “Having him onboard makes Dikan a leading hub for African music studies,” he said. “His archive will serve students, artists, and researchers across the world.”