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Thula Sizwe!
(Hush, and listen!) The sound of
the veldt is calling you. Hush, and listen to the voice of Zulu
South Africa. Hush and listen, as we sing of Africa, of hope, of
reconciliation and peace. Hush and listen, and feel the world draw
in a little bit closer.
Thula Sizwe
is an a capella singing group composed of eleven voices
ranging from the deepest bass to the highest of tenors. They sing
in the traditional Zulu call-and-response style. And while they
sing, they dance. They dance to the drum, to clapping hands, and to
the sounds of their own voices. And while they dance, the audience
can never sit still.
Thula Sizwe
was established just before the end of the apartheid era.
The group’s origins are in the poverty-stricken Black Townships of
South Africa, yet their music reaches across racial and class
divisions to share their intricate rhythms and harmonies with all
audiences. The musical style of Thula Sizwe is based in ancient
Zulu cultural traditions. Abel Dlamini, the group’s leader, learned
many of the dances from his father, who learned them from his
father, and so on, back for many generations.
The tradition of competitions
between different singing groups is an ancient one, as Zulu warriors
would prepare for battle by singing and dancing, and it became very
popular in the apartheid era, when many men lived far from their
families in order to work. The men would form groups to sing and
dance to entertain themselves in these times of isolation. That time
also saw a resurgence in the popularity of a style of dancing
incorporating the gumboots that they wore in the wet tunnels of the
mines. These gumboot dances use the boots themselves as percussion
while the men sing, clap, and stamp intricate rhythms.
Thula Sizwe
sings in the traditional style of close harmony based on the
five-tone scale, but most of their songs are in fact original
compositions by Abel Dlamini, or by other members of the group in
collaboration. Some of the songs celebrate village life, painting
moving pictures of wedding celebrations, lost loves, the beauty of
Africa and ancient struggles against wild animals and evil spirits.
They also sing of their religion, sharing the spirituals of South
Africa, medleys blending western and African themes, and traditional
and original works exploring the joy of their own deep Christian
faith.
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