FTX-815 - IDUMA LYA GEBUZA

African Instruments - Metal Reeds

CONCERTINA, HARMONICA & MELODEON. It is always interesting to hear how skilfully these instruments are adapted by African musicians. This programme features the diatonic, push- pull or blow-and-suck type of button accordion, the Anglo-German concertina and the melodeon, as well as the harmonica (or mouth-harp). Nearly all the concertina examples are Swati, but the harmonica & melodeon music come from other regions in South Africa. The recordings were made in the late 1950's by Dr Hugh Tracey, and are included here by kind permission of Andrew Tracey, of Rhodes University.

TOPICAL SONGS WITH CONCERTINA:-

1. IDUMA LYA GEBUZA (The gash-cut) Dance-song, young men & boys, Kalana Kingwilliamstown Dist, Cape Prov 1957 "When you are struck by lightning, there is much bleeding from the wound" (Xhosa. All other songs in this group are Swati) - 2'41"

2. LO MA JOINI (The Recruits) Yelanjani Matula, 1958, Havelock Mine, Bremersdorp. The song refers to the more racey side of life in a mine compound, amusing onlookers, while no-one took exception to the words - 2'50"

3. UHAMBA KWA MTOMBENI (If I leave Mtobeni's house, I do not say goodbye) Samuel Tabete, Stegi Dist, 1958, Havelock Mine. "A girl chooses for herself. Friend, they say, she is not to be forced. You must speak for yourself" - 3'18"

4. YE MUKA INGWABABA FUTE UNINA (She is just like her mother) As #2. "When my wife left me, she did not even say goodbye to my father and mother" - 2'39"

5. INGANILE INTOMBI YAMI NOKUZULA ("My girl has left me") As 2. A phrase in this song refers to the custom of reserving a portion of an animal, the heart or chops, for the younger people, so comparing this to the loss of the girl, he says he is waiting in anticipation of his share of the chops, but he is disappointed - 2'45"

6. AH LA LA MAMA (Ah Mama) Mpunyuka Madonsela. As #2. Bremersdorp, 1958. "No woman is any better than any other, the only difference is whether you love them or not", reflecting far more than a personal opinion - 2'48"

7. IZINTOMBI ZIYASISHIYA ("Some girls desert us and take other lovers") Mkakwa Mugomezungu, Piggs Peak, Swaziland 1958. An old wheezy concertina with some missing buttons replaced by bits of reed. Recorded by a criminal serving a long sentence in an open prison without walls or gates - 3'32"

8.SISHIMELA SISHELA BAFAZI LEBANTU ("A bachelor makes love to other men's wives") As #7 (7 & 8 are songs which originated in the Gollel District of Southern Swaziland) - 1'48"

HARMONICA (Xhosa except #12):-

9. KWELA SIYA HAMBA ("Let's go") Mbayizelo dance by young Tuku men, Peddie Dist., Cape Prov 1957 - 2'49"

10. ULALELE KE MUBEMI Miss Carter's Store, Lusikisiki Dist., Cape Prov., 1957, Nqwane Mbontyi, a humorous man. The name means "Just like a bean", his hair being close-cropped, typically Mpondo in style, except for his long forelock, plaited & beeswaxed to the forehead - 1'26"

11. AMASEYIBOKWE ATHENGWA NGEMALI ENINZI ("For a certain type of socks you pay dearly") Mtshotsho dance by Gcaleka boys & girls, Old Idutywa, Transkei, Eastern Cape, 1958 - 2'29"

12. SUTHA TSELING Jacquot Mokete, Mamathe's Village, Berea, Basutoland, 1959. (Sotho.S) "Get out of the way; Don't be frightened by gossip, girls; Gossip is always a storm in a village; Don't change your abode, just because somebody says he loves you; You will find people like that wherever you go; A woman is a dog for whom everybody wants to die". (An empty condensed milk can is fixed over the end of the harmonica to create the vibrato effect) - 1'49"

MELODEON:-

13. ATSHAKONGWE WAMWE MUNO KUWALA KWAWO ("Our women all wear the same kind of dress") Nyasa workers (Likoma,Shire River Valley, Nyasa), 1957 at a Citrus Estate, near Nelspruit, Eastern Transvaal. (Drum alternately tapped on side & head. Bottle beaten with blade of a hoe) - 2'48"

14. KOLASI Shinda Kamwana sings topical song with melodeon and a struck iron, Kiamuthambi, Kikuyu Territory, Kenya, 1952. "The father of the girl I want to marry came to Mombasa, leaving his daughter at home. So I came to Mombasa too and said to him: Now, how about it ? Let's discuss the marriage arrangements" - 2'55"

15. JOHN OTWAL Anton Mito sings a Luo praise song for a friend with sound-box and iron, Bondo, Kisumu Prov., Kenya, 1950. "John Otwal you helped me with transport from Kisumu and you gave me 100 shillings as a sign of affection and esteem. A good friend" - 2'43"

16. NAPOLO (name of a snake) Yao topical song with drum from Ft. Johnson Dist., Nyasaland, 1957, Nchanga Mine, Chingola, N.Rhodesia - 2'50"

These recordings were made by Dr.Hugh Tracey in the early fifties for The International Library of African Music and are reproduced here with his permission and that of the Library. First published on Folktrax cassettes 1976.