Makombela drops debut album
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Thursday December 8, 2016 16:14
The traditional group promotes IKalanga culture and their main dance style is Hosanna.
Hosanna is an Ikalanga sacred dance that has existed for decades, which is performed in request for rain and normally practised by demonstrating a rain praying ritual. Makombela traditional group presents itself in black skirts, strings of beads in a multitude of colours, a myriad across their upper bodies and around their heads and waists.
Hosanna is also known to be a spiritual family heritage dance that is inherited from the forefathers and even though it is an Ikalanga cultural dance, not everybody can participate in the dance because only the chosen ones qualify to be a Hosanna dancer.
Dzingaendapi album promises to thrill Hosanna music lovers who enjoy the rich Ikalanga sound with powerful vocals, traditional drums, clapping and unique dance.
The first track on the album is called Tjipanda Moyo, which is an Ikalanga phrase for ‘my beloved one’.
The track goes, ‘… Bazwadzi bangu tjingaka kwa ta ka lindila, tjipanada moyo changu shandulu ino kuna, tu pela moyo tu pela moyo’ which simply translated means that ‘my parents have been waiting for a reply from my beloved one and we will lose patience because she is failing to give us a response’.
The titled track, Dzingaendapi or ‘where will they go,’ describes a situation where someone was given two calves and wonders where will they use them to ask for someone’s hand in marriage.
Zvandiwana is the third track, which talks about a person who is tired of people’s hatred and gossips.
Other tracks in the album include Hlangameza, Jhuba and Makobela, which is an introduction track they use to praise their traditional group and dance.
The group spokesperson, Maipelo Matsela told Showbiz that the album provides fresh lyrics and unique Hosanna dance styles, which will capture the soul of traditional music lovers on different occasions.
She disclosed that their music is about the lifestyle experiences of people in Botswana particularly the Bakalanga ethnic group.
Matsela said they used the vernacular language, which is Ikalanga to make their album unique and added a taste of exotic languages such as Ndebele to widen their scope of fans.
“We want to melt the hearts of different audiences especially people from the neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa where they are so fond of Hosanna music and dance,” she said.
She indicated that they have used different drum sounds with a unique clapping connected to the beats of the tracks.
Matsela further said to make their dancing routine special they can also perform other traditional dance style such as setapa, mokomoto and dikhwaere.
She disclosed that Makombela traditional dance group was formed in 2011 with the mandate of promoting and preserving the Ikalanga cultural dance.
She said the group is made up of seven members including Motshedi Kemang who is the lead singer.
Matsela added that other members of the group are Gladys Dambe, Utlwanang Dick, Nomsa Matsela, Angelinah Otlogile and Elina David.
“We started participating in the President’s Day Competitions in 2012 and took position three in the national competitions. In 2013 and 2014 we took position two also at national level of the competitions. We also participated in all cycles of the constituency arts competitions and we have since our participation emerged in position one at the Francistown West constituency where we are based,” she said.
Matsela said they support their families through their music. She indicated that their album is receiving a lot of airplay in local radio stations and Batswana are in love with their music.
She added that they receive a lot of bookings from different corporate functions and gatherings such as weddings, anniversaries and parties.
Matsela urged other upcoming traditional groups to demonstrate a very high level of professionalism and discipline in their work when engaged by various individuals and organisations.
“We have shown initiative and creativity hence our ability to perform and produce quality compositions. Ambition, creativity and maturity are the driving forces behind our devotion to excellence,” she said.