Unveiling the legacy: The Intergenerational Odyssey of Uhadi Music, Music
Venue: Beethoven Room
Next performance: Friday 4 July 18:00
Review
By Langelihle Elsie Skade
Unveiling the legacy: The Intergenerational Odyssey of Uhadi Music begins with traditional healers wearing beads and cloths worn during ancestral ceremonies, the scent of imphepho (incense) and the sounds of ighubu (drum). It reminded me of the last gathering I attended where my elders gathered in a ceremony we had back at home. The traditional attire worn by the performers, the beads, drums, chants, instruments, and strong vocals gathered together commanded the presence of ancestors into the room.
When this happens, you choose if you want to open your eyes or not, but the echoes and chants of an African rhythm sound better when your eyes are closed. During the performance, I chose to close my eyes, and felt the vocals, the rhythms, the sounds and whistles, flowing through my veins. It was a familiar feeling, where I felt the presence of my ancestors too.
The show celebrates cultural heritage and one of the most important instruments in amaXhosa culture, the uhadi. Zanethemba Mdyogolo, a young artist skilled in playing uhadi, a musical bow, collaborated with the renowned traditional African music specialist, Geoffrey Tracey, to honour the legacy of his grandmother, Notinki Jane Mdyongolo, who was an extraordinary uhadi musician.
The opening song “Hamba Nam”, led by Mdyogolo, took the audience on a journey of introspection. Reflecting on the difficult journey of being an artist, he went from smiling to frowning and often closed his eyes. Sometimes, he swayed his hands to show the emotions he felt. It made me question why he had chosen the path of being an artist, when he struggles to walk this path.
“We are bridging the intergenerational legacy. My grandmother and his [Geoffrey Tracey] father knew each other before we did, so we are doing this to try to strengthen the bond through music and arts,” said Mdyogolo.
Geoffrey Tracey comes from the legendary family of musicians, the Traceys. In 1954, his grandfather Hugh Tracey founded the International Library of African Music now situated at Rhodes University. Tracey is an example of how African spirituality can be embraced by anyone, whether you are African, Indian, or white.
During the performance, he wore his sangoma attire: white, red, light blue, and yellow ancestral beads. A maroon cloth with patterns called ihiya was wrapped around him during the performance, to show his identity and respect for his ancestors. On his wrists he wore his expensive traditional watch made out of animal skin, called isiphandla.
“Colonialism was blind, and they judged the richness and the beauty of oral culture. They called people who embrace such culture ‘savages’. I am in support of indigenous music; people should be proud of where they come from, and know where they come from,” said Tracey.
At the end of the performance, Mdyongolo’s mother, Ntomboxolo Mdyogolo, closed off with a poem. The performance was a reminder to not only Africans but to everyone that indigenous culture should be embraced and embedded within their hearts.
