This songbook has been put together to reflect the range of songs gathered from different communities in Oxford and played at the regular gatherings organised by the Confluence Collective.
We have tried to take and create songs that are important to the cultural identity of different individuals and cultural groups and present them in the way we play and share them. Wherever possible we have added in translations of lyrics that scan and rhyme in the same way as the original languages so that people can sing together and understand them.

We are very aware of the history of colonial exploitation of music from around the world and the appalling arrogance of so many Europeans in suggesting an aesthetic hierarchy around Western music practices and approaches. We are not seeking to replicate that but just to show our respect for other musical cultures and approaches through finding ways we can perform these songs as a starting point to engaging with the original cultures. We humbly ask people to feel free to use these transcriptions and scores and translations but always seek out the original recordings we have included so that you can really engage with the power and resonance of the cultures that created these musics.