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Isicathamiya is... here is where you give a basic who-what-when-where-why of your topic as one single short summarized paragraph.

Musical background and outlook

Origin: Traditional Music, culture and spirituality
Although the style originated in 20th century, specifically in the 1920's and 1930's, many academics argue it can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. They believe the roots of isicathamiya are found in the American minstrels and ragtime US vaudeville troupes that toured South Africa extensively in 1860. Isicathamiya would have merged from a combination of minstrel inspired songs and Zulu traditional music.

Culturally and traditionally, isicathamiya is influenced by Zulu indigenous beliefs such as: belief in Communalism which is expressed in the Zulu dictum, "umuntu, ngumuntu, ngabantu", competition, strength and power associated with animals, reverence of the fire-place as a resource for food and warmth and, dreams for communicating with ancestors. The expression "umuntu, ngumuntu, ngabantu" which means "a person is a person because of other people", dominates Zulu social organization and is used as a tool to strengthen social harmony. In the Zulu community, competition is highly valued, especially with music, as it is seen as a social issue which is subject to competition. It is also perceived as a public platform in which people can establish a concept of identity in a community. Isicathamiya performers improve their image by winning competitions. In Zulu folklore, bulls are a common symbol of power and masculinity. Other wild animals such as snakes, crocodiles, tigers and lions expressions of power relations and and assertion of power in competitive isicathamiya competitions. Early isicathamiya groups were named after animals such as Empangeni Home Tigers and Brave Lion Singers.

The fire place is used metaphorically for the "cooking of songs" in isicathamiya stage performances. Emphasis is placed on the social organization based on the Zulu indigiounous residence which took for in a circular bee-hive grass hut and at the center the head of surrounded by wives and children. The same formation takes places when isicathamiya songs were created with the leader in the center of the group. Dreams were an essential part of communicating with ancestors and formed part of a deeply rooted Zulu religious though process. Some isicathamiya musicians claim some of their songs were created in the spiritual realm given to them by ancestors. Joseph Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo explains he composes through dreams whereby for six months in the 1960's he was visited by voices in his dreams. These were spiritual elders who were singing in the isicathamiya style. He experienced a final examination where each of the twenty-four elders asked him a musical question and Shabalala achieved a perfect score.

Pre-Ladysmith and Post-Ladysmith
In the 1980's, isicathamiya competitions were held in male hostels such as Glebeland, in Umlazi, one of townships in Durban. The groups were allowed to perform two songs adhering to the competition formation.

Joseph Shabalala formed Ladysmith Black Mambazo and had the opportunity to work with Paul Simon on the Graceland album which included tracked titled "Homeless" and "Diamonds on Soles of her Shoes", which gained the group international recognition. The influence Joseph Shabalala had would change the context of isicathamiya in the late 20th century. Joseph Shabalala, Bongani Mthethwa and Paulos Msimango formed an organization called South African Traditional Music Association to help reclaim isicathamiya as a form of traditional music. Competitions were no longer in hostels but at the YMCA in Beatrice Street in the city center of Durban.

The change in venues allowed for variation in the basic theme of the competitions. A competition for the best dressed man was implemented and on occasion for the best dressed woman. Furthermore, all who registered to compete now paid a voluntary amount the the event conveners and the contribution of each group would be announced as they entered the hall.

Shabalala recognized the significance of his position on a global scale and would honor the community by conducting workshops for aspiring isicathamiya groups.Ladysmith Black Mambazo addressed pressing issues in South African in the 1990's such as HIV/Aids, crime, violence and rape. The group would honor prolific members of the South African society such as Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The level of interaction the group uses with the audience has grown vastly. Shabalala communicated with the audience beyond the musical and dance aspects.There was a shift in language usage, no longer restricted to Zulu, Shabalala would recite the word to "Homeless" to teach the audience.

Shabalala continued to extend the boundaries of isicathamiya formalities by introducing Zulu maskanda (traditional musicians playing on European instruments, guitar and concertina) to open the Shabalala and his group.

Competition Etiquette and Formalities
The core of isicathamiya were the all night choir competitions that took place during the weekends in Johannesburg and Durban. Competitions were held all night long due to the number of choirs that would sign up at the beginning of the evening. Each choir had a group leader who was responsible for signing up the group and paying an entrance fee which would contribute to the monetary prize at the end of the evening.

Dress Code
The isicathamiya groups dressed in suits, with white gloves, sparkling white shirts, shiny black shoes and red socks. The leader dressed in opposing colors from the group.

Formation
Before the group enters the stage, there would be a moment of pre-performance prayer with the group gathered in a circle praying for spiritual guidance. This circle formation is reminiscent of the cattle enclosure of a Zulu village, a sacred space where the men could feel the presence of their ancestors and pray to them.

The isicathamiya groups enter the stage for the competition and start with the group standing in a semicircle with the leader in front of the group. The group faces the judges and audience. Usually the first song is sung with the group standing still under the instruction of the leader in a makwaya (choral) setting. In the second half the group would incorporate leg dances or isteps with their bodies synchronized with the rhythm of the song. At this point, the participants' girlfriends or wives would come up to support the group.

Style and composition
The leader of the group is often the founder and the composer. Often the migrant workers are not educated in music notation, however possess a different compositional technique. Joseph Shabalala composes at when his body is sleeping and his spirit at work. Typically the songs are written in response to what is troubling him at that moment. He strives to address troubling situations by composing a new song. These topics varied from love to political, religious. The recurring theme is the social and political issues pertaining to life for black South Africans in KwaZulu Natal, which burdened him greatly. Shabalala acknowledges the group used their music to educate the audiences they would encounter.

Shabalala shares how he learned to compose in the isicathamiya style was through dreams where he heard voices from spiritual elders, this is common amongst Zulu traditionalists and isicathamiya composers.

Stylistically, isicathamiya is characterized by male voices performing a capella, with the SATB formation (one leading voice, a tenor, followed by one soprano (falsetto), one alto and the rest singing bass) however, in some cases there are recordings with banjo or piano as it was thought the instruments would appeal to the Black elite. A good isicathamiya performance includes call and response and multilayered vocal polyphony.