People
Meet our team of researchers!
Dr. Lee Watkins
Lee Watkins has been the Director of the International Library of African Music in South Africa since 2016. Before then he served as a senior lecturer in Ethnomusicology and as Head of Department in the Department of Music at Rhodes University. His interests include the applied studies of music, hip hop and popular music studies, revivalism, developmental editing, and archival practices that are inclusive.
Dr. Lyndsey Copeland
Lyndsey Copeland is an ethnomusicologist with research experience in West and Southern Africa. She is an Assistant Professor of Music and Culture at 杏吧原创 University in Ottawa, Canada, and holds cross-appointments at 杏吧原创鈥檚 Institute of African Studies and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Her research and teaching areas include African popular music, sound and the environment, and community-engaged research methods.
Dr. Sharon Gabie
Sharon Gabie integrates academic theory with lived experiences, emphasising practical research application. She is deeply involved with Khoe and San indigenous communities in South Africa and Namibia, working to preserve and revitalise their cultural heritage while advocating for their rights.
Sharon received her PhD from Rhodes University in 2022. She began her postdoctoral fellowship in 2023 with the Chair of Ocean Cultures and Heritage at Nelson Mandela University. Her postdoctoral research focuses on the intangible cultural heritage of the Khoe and San, their connection to the ocean and tangible involvement in the blue economy. She also collaborates with ILAM, International Library of African Music in a joint project between Carlton University and Rhodes University on the intangible music heritage of Khoe and San people.
In 2025, Sharon was appointed as an advisor to the Minister in the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. She was moreover nominated to the Board of Directors for the Point Discovery Centre (PDC) in Mossel Bay, a not-for-profit that showcases artefacts of over 160,000 years old. Linked to the PDC is Pinnacle Point Cave 13B, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2024. Sharon is committed to preserving First Nations’ cultural heritage, academic rigor, and making a meaningful impact in the communities she serves.
Mr. James Petrus Mapanka
James Mapanka is an activist for the Khoi, Nama and San languages. He is a former teacher and local government official who has served on various boards in Northern Cape Tourism and been honoured for his work with a special award by the Northern Cape MEC of Education. Mr. Mapanka is the founding Director of the South African Nama Development Association based in Kakamas, Northern Cape, South Africa. In 2024, Mr. Mapanka was appointed as a Member of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mr. Leonard (Boetles) Gewers
Boetles Gewers is a Nama (Khoe) cultural advocate and active performer of Nama music from Riemvasmaak in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Boetles joins the project as a Community Researcher.
Mr. Laurencius (Wilard) Veldskoen
Wilard Veldskoen is a Nama (Khoe) cultural advocate and entrepreneur residing in Keimoes, Northern Cape, South Africa. Wilard joins the project as a Community Researcher.