Borrowing from the sounds of the forefathers?

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Correspondent | Wednesday July 25, 2007 00:00

When modern Tswana cultural music musicians  imitate the legends their albums become instant hits and sell like hot cakes.

 
In most instances you would think one of the legends of old is singing when you hear one of these youngsters' hits taking the airwaves and the nation at large by storm. When Culture Spears caused sensation last year with their hit album, Kulenyane, it was all down to the youthful singers copying well from the influence of the Tswana folklore legends.  When the track Kulenyane first hit the airwaves many were asking whether this could be one of folklore legend Ratsie Sethako's compositions that had never been released before.

 The lead singer in the group, Kabelo Mogwe, did not only come out hot but you could still enjoy those trade-mark humming and free style type of singing that Batswana have come to adore, thanks to the Radio Botswana (RB) programme.  Matsieng, another youthful cultural music group, two years ago, caused havoc with their debut album, Semakaleng, which also borrowed extensively from Letlhakeng legend, Speech Madimabe's popular lyrics, and singing style. Matsieng's album continues to win the hearts of many local music lovers.

  
Another group that continues to exploit the legacy left by folklore gurus is Machesa.  Their recent album, marketed by EMI South Africa, has not departed from the group's tradition of borrowing from the legacy of the forefathers of Tswana folklore music.  Matsieng's latest release mixes the richness of melodious Tswana poetry with the old traditional dance rhythm and the vocal styles of the likes of Ratsie and Madimabe.  You could tell from the song arrangement that the youth took time to learn more from the masters of old whose music is still alive, thanks to Dipina le Maboko.

 
But the youths would do well to learn to come up with their own styles as well to avoid a situation whereby every hit album sounds like it is a Ratsie Setlhako composition.
 It shows people are in touch with their roots, yes, but often originality is compromised, as the youths tend to be more of copycats.

In one of their hit songs, Matsieng seem to have copied everything, such as the breathing, how the legend would clear his throat as he sang, as well as imperfections like coughing in the middle of the song. Ever through they re-produce Setlhako's singing style they spoil it when they add a lot of vulgar language as if to suggest that the folklore legend liked using vulgarity.

Of course, the only thing that continues to miss from the youngster's music is one instrument called Segaba, also made famous by the legends. Not many people master the art of playing this extinct musical instrument. It is not just about playing it, but the challenge often is: Can you play the Segaba exactly the way Setlhako, would have played it, for example?.

 
But one thing is clear, Radio Botswana's Dipina le Maboko programme has become a boswa-cultural heritage to young cultural musicians, who continue to benefit from the programme as they can always learn from the past masters, most of whom the youngsters have never met except through the music repeatedly played on the radio.