Tshega sway' catapults Shumba to global stardom

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Friday May 4, 2012 00:00

Anyone can take too lightly the sway that tshega, a Tswana traditional loin-skin worn by young boys covering only the front while the buttocks are left exposed until an individual reaches adulthood, possesses.  Ratshega, probably Botswana's leading traditional music icon, will tell you the traditional garb has been part of a winning formula that has seen his music penetrate the rest of the continent.

Shumba, whose real name is Moses Malatela, has revived the mystic of the animal skin hat, the traditional hunting weapon (seragantshwana) and the knobkerrie.  Although it was for the simple reason of wanting to be unique and hark back Batswana of their culture that is on its last leg - Shumba confesses it has worked wonders for him.

'I think I thrive on uniqueness - my style is totally different from other traditional artists,' he says. His is a story of a man who has rightly identified his niche, pursued it and magnificently captivated hearts beyond the borders of his native home.  The 30-year-old muso is also quick to admit it has not been plain sailing for him, however.

He started off bleakly with his debut album Kuka Ntsu failing to grip the hearts of Batswana while his third Le Ya Kae (Where are you going?) was also a big yawn.  But, his second album Makhirikhiri (crooks) set him up for regional success.So popular is this song that East Africans, including Ugandans and Burundians, have christened local traditional music after it. His ingenuity did not go unnoticed as it effortlessly earned him the 2007 Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) Best Traditional Music Group Award.

Thereafter, he performed in 18 successful shows in Tanzania. After his visit to Dar-es-Salaam, the Tanzanian capital, Makhirikhiri became a major hit in the streets of Dar and got lots of airplay in the country's radio stations.  Despite all that, Shumba will take none of the accolades.

'It's God's grace that they now call traditional music Makhirikhiri. I'm grateful to God for what He is doing for me,' says the religious muso.  Gaborone-based music promoter, Gilbert Seagile explains how Shumba broke into the Tanzanian market.  'People outside Botswana love our traditional music and I would say piracy played a key role in that.  CDs and DVDs were being pirated, especially in South Africa and Tanzania, and Shumba's album Makhirikhiri made a mark and when a Tanzanian promoter called wanting to invite a 'Makhirikhiri' musician he was referred to Shumba,' says Seagile.But Shumba has his own explanation.

'I do my music with Africa in mind - somehow I believe even though they won't understand the lyrics, in some way, the music caters for them.'He also credits his ability to appeal to African music lovers to his dances. 'They say the way I dance is unique and it blends in well with my singing,' he says. However - a fact remains - Ratshega was equal to the task in Dar with his very strong Sebirwa accent, infused with reggae melody and mid-tempo setapa charming Tanzania.

On the other hand, his producer Mpotseng 'Bullet' Ketshabile credits the Bobirwa-born singer's success to his versatility.

'He took setapa because where he comes from they have this language of theirs (Sebirwa) which is very nice when you put it into music,' he says. Shumba also says he works hard to ensure his music is poles apart from local artists.'I try to practise hard and I keep fine-tuning my style to ensure high quality. The whole idea is to make it unique and attractive to music fans,' Shumba says.

One of his fans, Olemetse Molefe of Tlokweng, concurs with her idol. 'He's one of the few musicians here who really takes their audience seriously.  When he performs you can easily tell he has really taken time to prepare.  I think that's what has caused his music to send ripples across the continent,' she says.

Shumba, whose stage name means lion, is ready to roar in East Africa and beyond. He has several shows lined up in Burundi and Uganda this month.  This will be the first time for him to perform in the two countries though he has been to both countries before.

'I've visited Uganda before just to see what the environment is like.  I have a massive plan for 2012 and there's going to be tremendous growth in my music career,' he adds. Some of the highlights of his career include performing at President Ian Khama's inauguration in April 2008.

He singles that out as one of his most memorable moments as a musician.  And then there was his World Cup performance in South Africa two years ago, which he also remembers with a trace of nostalgia.