|
|
 |
South African Music History |
During the 17th century when the slaves and tribal people went to the dutch colonies of South africa, the western musical instruments captured their attention. The slaves were amazed at the western ideas regarding music. Soon they started adapting to the western music culture. Then south africa witnessed a revolution in the field of music. When South Africans started making their own musical instruments after observing the instruments of the west, ramkie-the guitar and mamokhorong - the violin was created. Slaves also made several attempts to blend native songs with the western folklores. As time passed by, music became the source of entertainment in South Africa. The next development began when the slaves started organizing themselves into slave orchestras. History states that in the early 1670s, the Governor of Cape had his own slave orchestra. Later on the tradition of parading through the streets was also started wherein musicians travelled around entertaining the public. The missionaries who came to South Africa in the late 1800s are believed to have made a huge impact on South African music. Influenced by these missionaries, the gospel movement was started in South Africa. Capella singing which is a combined form of western hymns and indigenous harmonies is another contribution by the missionaries. Long before these foreign influences what existed in Africa was the traditional call and response music. Dance was an integral part of the oldest forms of South African music like the isicathamiya. Music was considered as a means of communal harmony then. The scene of South African music experienced significant changes in the 1800s with the proletariat revolution. Black workers moved from place to place and so did the music. Then music had the new role of developing urban centres in South Africa. In the 1920s, the government imposed certain restrictions in South Africa and night curfew was one among them. During these days the popular form of music was marabi. Marabi initially played on the guitar incorporated new instruments along with time. A decade after South Africa started enjoying commercial success with the release of Eric Gallo's works. The government of the 1960s decided to play an active role in the growth of south african music. Hence the Bantu Radio program was launched by the government. But when the government realized that the program wasn't able to achieve the purpose for which it was established, censorship was imposed. In its journey from the 1950s south African music witnessed birth of popular music such as pennywhistle jive, a smooth mbube in the 60s, soul, punk rock, disco and jazz entering the land of south africans, importing reggae from the neighbours, the rise of south African pop- bubblegum, the voelvry movement and the creation of new rhythms. Truly it is a magical journey! |