African Epistemology in the 21st Century 278 Representing the conceptualisation of Umaskandi Mbuti Moloi University of Venda mbutit@gmail.com & Madimabe G Mapaya University of Venda Geof.Mapaya@univen.ac.za Introduction This article aims to present the making of ubuciko Besizulu in the development of umaskandi, the role that has been largely neglected and regarded as impotent. Studies on the development and practice of umaskandi have, for a long time, been approached from the Western perspective using Eurocentric models of theorising. Consequently, the contribution from music practitioners as to how their music is conceptualised and philosophised has mostly been ignored. The inability of scholars to fully appreciate and comprehend the role played by ubuciko Besizulu in umaskandi’s development has limited them from identifying critical indigenous musical concepts. To formulate the argument in this article, I have interrogated various available sources such as open-ended interviews and discussions, the known history of the genre through earlier documentation, and participatory observations. Whilst acknowledging the work done by yesteryear scholars and critiquing some of their questionable oferings, this instalment will contribute to knowledge production about this musical phenomenon. Studies on umaskandi phenomenon have revealed a plethora of distortions and mis- representations. Umaskandi has been erroneously presented, in many cases, as a contemporary genre and interpreted as such. This erroneous presentation has resulted in some unacceptable generalisations regarding its nature and status (Nhlapo, 1998). The distortions and misrepresentations have elevated the Western perspective of umaskandi. Its practitioners are relegated to no more history makers than creatures who are to be observed for unusual features (Nwanosike, Oba Eboh, 2011). This came from colonialism, hence the tendency towards direct appropriation and exploitation by Europeans of African social institutions. Arguably, this has delivered the colonisers intended outcomes whereby there has been a ‘devaluation of African creativity, agency and value systems, and an internalised sense of inadequacy’ (Nyamnjoh, 2012, p. 1). African knowledge systems sufered the same fate, whereby non-Africans researchers ordained themselves as ‘experts’ in indigenous cultures. Thus, they presented a biased Eurocentric view of the continent and its cultural practices. Consequently, Africans ceased to set indigenous aesthetic goals and standards (Nwanosike, Oba Eboh, 2011), which led to viewing anything