By Nandipha Twani
A ceremony of appreciation was held for 94-year-old traditional instrumentalist Notiki Mdyogolo for her instrumental role in helping Rhodes University Masters student Hlengiwe Tshitshi earn a distinction in with her thesis recently.
Mdyogolo is well known for playing a traditional instrument that was used by the forefathers and she is the only one in Makhanda who plays it.
Tshitshi, a 43-year-old from Riebeek East passed her thesis with the help of the elderly Mdyogolo and then decided to surprise the frail great-grandmother with a ceremony to express her gratitude for her support. Hlengiwe’s research was about traditional music and she worked with her grade 4 learners who are between ages of 9 and 11 years to do the research with the old aged granny who is very knowledgeable about the subject matter.
Tshitshi said she enjoyed working with Mdyogolo at home as she was not allowed to participate in traditional ceremonies but she would enjoy them from a distance as her parents were Christians, and did not practice African tradition until she got married. Her In-laws are a family that does traditional ceremonies and when she became exposed to it, she decided to learn more about her own tradition which resulted in her to do her research in Traditional Music.
Rhodes University Professor Kenneth Mlungisi Ngcoza referred Tshitshi to Mdyogolo after she experienced challenges with her previous project partner and they subsequently met at the La Café where Mdyogolo’s daughter and grandson were going to perform.
Ngcoza said Tshitshi was one of eight students that passed masters and that two of his students are PHD students.
“I am not good with words but God knows I am so grateful for Notiki’s help and if it weren’t her I wouldn’t be here today. Because of her support on Friday 11th, I will be graduating,” she Tshitshi.
The joyous celebration was overseen by Rev Luyanda Fete of the Cathedral Church, who blessed everyone with his powerful words, he thanked God for blessing Makhanda with a talented person like Mdyogolo.
Mdyogolo said she was excited about the attention and affection she received by simply pursuing her passion.
“I have never had anything like this done for me by Professor Ngcoza and Hlengiwe I am so gratetful they didn’t tell me that they were going to do this but I love it and I am honoured to have worked with them. I hope this won’t be the last time I see them.
Amongst the people who came to celebrate with Tshitshi was her friend and colleague Wisiwe Beauty Mvandanda, 57, who thanked Mdyogolo for her work. She said before coming here we had a problem at school with kids, they were not participating in school work and they didn’t listen, now they do their work and they enjoy playing music and they even started a community traditional dance group.
Mdyogolo’s children who are Ntomboxolo Mdyogolo 45, Nosipho Mdyogolo, 65, and Xola Mdyogolo, also known as Teabag, and Craig Ngesi Mdyogolo, responded to everyone who attended and thanked them for giving their mother her flowers while she is still alive.
“We are very happy that our mother is lifting the name of our family and that through her work she is keeping traditional music alive. We are happy that there are people out there who recognise her work and who are advocating for her name be known in other countries too. They said their children Zanethemba Mdyogolo, 27, and Siyabonga Mdyogolo, 41, are following in her footsteps.
