Music arrangements and Scores
UQongqothwane is an isiXhosa children’s traditional song that weaves historical and cultural elements of the AmaXhosa Kingdom who pre-dominantly are from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Miriam Makeba had made references to the deeper symbolism of the song which points way home into a better, brighter future, especially in times of struggle and unease. This arrangement starts with a rhetorical question directed at the people of the ochre (imbola), called “amaqaba”. When amaXhosa apply (ukuthambisa/ukuqaba) the red ochre (imbola ebomvu) they not only titivate to beautify themselves but also in celebration of various communal, cultural, and traditional ceremonies.
The choreography is an integral part of the song as music in many African cultures is accompanied by dance with rhythm which edifies the whole song. When the musicians point forward while singing, “nanga amaqaba” they employ a linguistic heritage of the isiXhosa language of the “q” click consonant which is an influence of the Nama and San language. In the western world uQongqothwane is also known as the click song for people who for some reason struggled to enunciate the click consonants in the song. For many decades the song has been sung in weddings for good fortune and pays homage to the revitalisation and preservation of the indigenous knowledge of the amaXhosa nation through song.
IsiXhosa
Yintoni na kulo mzi? Kulo mzi wamaqaba aqab’imbola Nanga la maqaba aqab’imbola Agqith’amagqirha ath’aqeqeshiwe, ezingqondweni Ela gqirha lagqitha laqabela phaya Igqirha lendlela nguQongqothwane Ebeqabel’egqith’apha UQongqothwane Wayequbu;’egqith’apha UQongqothwane
English
What is in this nation? In this nation of ochre users Here are the ochre users. Who do better than doctors trained, academically The seer passed and went up there. The seer of the road/life is the Beetle. He (the seer) passed by going up. The Beetle He used to pass by doing the qubula ritual. The Beetle
Ooxamu is an isiXhosa traditional rhyme song meant to exude the complex “x” clicks of the language. Though the lyrics hold no literal meaning (gibberish), kids in South Africa sing it to practice the various clicking sounds of the isiXhosa language. The “Vumani” is an element of African song which calls people to sing, unite and be merry. The arrangement has been adapted from Busi Mhlongo’s YouTube performance.