Five Windows into Africa. By Patrick McNaughton, John H. Hanson, dele jegede, Ruth M. Stone, and N. Brian Winchester, in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Technologies Laboratory, Indiana University. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000. [Two CD-ROM disks for Macintosh and Windows

Five Windows into Africa is an interdisciplinary tool that offers users a multilayered perspective on the riches and challenges of life in Africa. Through spoken narration and text, music and interviews, and films and photographs, the authors attempt to provide users with a sense of being there, of visiting different locations in Africa, of witnessing particular events, and of meeting the individuals involved. The content and presentation of the work is based on the authors' own varied research interests and experiences in Africa. Patrick MeNaughton, professor of African art history at Indiana University, Bloomington, guides us through a bird dance held near Bamako, Mali. John H. Hanson, associate professor of history and director of the African Studies Program at Indiana University, introduces us to Muslim practices in Wa, Ghana. dele jegede, professor of art history at Indiana State University, engages us in life in Lagos, Nigeria. Ruth M. Stone, professor of folklore, ethnomusicology, and African studies a t Indiana University, leads us through a funeral in Liberia. Finally, N. Brian Winchester, director of the Center for the Study of Global Change at Indiana University, highlights tensions in Zimbabwe's transition from colonialism to independence. Each author moves far beyond these particular topics, furthermore, to explore diverse related issues and themes. Reflection upon artistic expression leads to political and religious discussion. Contemplation of modernity and urbanity leads to commentary on traditional practices and rural life. Indeed, by opening five "windows"--five core topic areas--the authors invite users to explore many, many more. By raising common themes in each of their five presentations, they provide viewers with an opportunity to examine differences and similarities across Africa, and to consider relationships between places, issues, and experiences.

Five Windows into Africa requires installation on the computer hard drive. Notes on installing, setting up, and navigating through the program are provided for both Macintosh and Windows users. In fact, the liner notes are limited largely to this information, though they also provide brief summaries of the five core topic areas and information about the authors. For this review I explored the compact discs using a Windows-based computer.

The program opens to a screen featuring the title, Five Windows into Africa, with clickable images that link to the five "windows" to which the title refers. In addition, this screen provides links to the following: a section on "Getting Around," which explains the organizational features of the CD-ROM and the navigational tools provided to facilitate viewers' movement between sections, scenes, and themes; an "Introduction," which briefly describes the project and the background of the authors; a section entitled "Topic Tours," which provides a means for examining particular themes featured across "windows," including issues related to spirituality, power, aesthetics, entrepreneurship, individuals, and community; "Credits"; and, finally, the option to "Quit." In moving past this introductory screen, users are encouraged first to view core events scene by scene and then to explore thematic interconnections between scenes and windows. The following provides a brief look at each of the core events and examples o f the diverse issues raised by the authors in relation to these events.

Patrick McNaughton presents scenes from a bird dance held on the outskirts of Bamako, Mali, with photographs of the town gathering for the event, the dancers and musicians preparing for their entrances, a sequence of masked and unmasked dances, and musical performances and speeches during intermissions. In guiding us through these scenes, MeNaughton offers insight into the actions and stories being performed by the dancers, the construction of costumes and meaning of particular masks, and the performers' playful manipulation of audience beliefs and expectations. Links from these scenes provide additional information on Mande towns and architecture, religious beliefs, associations, and aesthetics; categories of dance and music performance; the bird masquerader Sidi Ballo; and McNaugh ton's experiences as a researcher.

John H. Hanson presents scenes of Friday prayers and Muslim life in Wa, Ghana. Hanson introduces the town and history of Wa; Wa's three mosques; religious texts; Muslim leaders and scholars; prayer and sermon patterns; religious satellite broadcasts; gender differences in religious practices; and patterns of socializing. He includes supplementary information on the history of Islam, Muslim society, types of political authority, and on specific people and locations in Wa. He also provides commentary on his activities and information about conducting historical research in Wa.

dele jegede introduces us to diverse aspects of Lagos, Nigeria, including: perspectives of individuals living in the city; the history and types of trade in the city; artists and artistic expressions; formal and informal theater; music and popular musicians such as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti; sociopolitical history and conflicts, including the role of journalists and political cartoonists; transportation issues; economic struggles; urbanization, and the differences between urban and rural life; and religious beliefs. jegede also provides a map of Lagos indicating major points of interest and images of these locations.

Ruth M. Stone shows us scenes from a Kpelle funeral in Liberia, focusing upon the funeral service at a Lutheran church in Monrovia and the transportation of the deceased from Monrovia to Sanoyea, his hometown, for burial. Her presentation touches upon the following issues, among others: types of music associated with Kpelle life; juxtapositions and fusions of contemporary and traditional practices; the political history of Liberia, and tensions particularly related to this funeral; and the perspectives and roles of particular individuals involved in the funeral. Additional links include information on Liberia, on the Kpelle people and language, and on particular instruments.

N. Brian Winchester offers us a historical look at Zimbabwe's transition from colonialism to independence. Winchester considers the following time periods and issues: nineteenth-century European colonialism; the 1920s and the consolidation of white power in Rhodesia; the 1950s and African nationalism; the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Rhodesia's white minority government; subsequent civil unrest and international sanctions; escalation to civil war in the 1970s; increased international attempts at reconciliation and the success of the Lancaster House Constitutional Conference in London in 1979; and the transition to independence in the 1980s and subsequent tensions. Each of these periods is addressed not only by Winchester, but also through excerpts of interviews of Zimbabwean Emmanuel Ribeiro, who offers a moving narrative of his experiences during these transitions. Supplemental links provide additional information on each time period, including discussion of key events and individuals associated with these periods.

The organization of Five Windows into Africa reflects both the collaboration and unique perspectives of the authors. Each of the five "windows" opens with a spoken introduction by the author to the event and issues upon which it focuses. This introduction leads to the core event, presented as a series of short scenes involving combinations of images, audio, and narration. Presented with each scene are links to additional information and related topics. Beyond this basic format, however, the authors' presentations differ quite extensively. In presenting the core events and supplemental information, each author manipulates audio and visual media differently. Most of the authors depend extensively on film, although photographs are also used. They all use audio, but some depend upon it much more extensively than others. Some offer musical recordings, some include street sounds, and some present recorded interviews. In some cases key terms and pronunciations are highlighted. Indeed, in addition to presenting multi ple perspectives on diverse aspects of life in Africa, Five Windows also demonstrates multiple approaches to manipulating the CD-ROM format.

The CD-ROM format provides authors and viewers with both new opportunities and new challenges. It provides authors new ways in which to combine and present data, thus complementing the "window" theme and also the interdisciplinary goal of this project. Hyperlinking topics allows users to move relatively easily between regions and themes and provides them with a sense of entering new spaces and levels. Viewers are provided with the opportunity to experience Africa through images and sound recordings as well as through spoken and written narration. The format allows viewers to choose their own paths and pace in navigating through the material. Using the CD-ROM format, however, also presents challenges. Some users, for instance, may become frustrated with the fragmented nature of the project, experiencing events and issues scattered in small bits across a myriad of screens. Not only must viewers manually click to link to supplemental information or to connect across windows, for example, but they must frequently do so even to move between scenes of core events.

Five Windows into Africa clearly marks a significant contribution to African studies. In the richness and presentation of its content, the project provides users with insight into many aspects of life in Africa and encourages sensitivity to thematic and experiential diversities and similarities across the continent. In its use of the CD-ROM format, furthermore, Five Windows offers new opportunities for both authors and users, and helps pave the way for further multimedia explorations and presentations.