Music of Botswana
Botswana is an African country made up of different ethnic groups, although Batswana are the majority of the population. Music is a large part of Botswana culture, and includes popular and folk forms. Botswana church choirs are common nationwide.
Beginning in the 19th century, Immigrants from the United Kingdom began arriving in large numbers and they called the colony Bechuanaland.[1]
History
[edit]The oldest known instrument from present-day Botswana is a seburuburu bullroarer crafted from a bone, dating to the Matlapaneng dig site and dating to approximately 1,000 years ago. A bone flute or whistle dating back approximately 900 years ago was discovered in the Bosutswe site, with one opening that is covered by the user to produce different notes. Bone instruments are the only ones of this age durable enough to survive to the present day.[2]
Instruments were historically considered important items that owners preserved over the course of their life, and some were considered the heritage of the community and could not be sold without the chief's permission.[2] There was a religious significance to instruments, both in the materials used to make them and in blessings placed on them. They were then used in rituals to communicate with ancestors and request good fortune and health.[3]
Of the charms carried by Tswana men in the 19th century to ward off evil, one was a whistle used as an alert to danger.[3]
Traditional music of the Batswana and other peoples in the region was often performed daily prior to colonisation. This included both songs and religious chants. The norms introduced by the colonial government and the European missionaries largely ended such practices.[4]
As Botswana's education system grew in the 1950s, choir was widely taught. It grew to be a popular type of music as competitive choir singing became common. The Brown Kalanga Wizards were the first recording group in present-day Botswana, forming in the 1950s and producing two albums.[5]
Traditional folk music saw a resurgence as part of Botswana's independence movement and formation of a national identity.[6] National radio broadcasts began in the 1960s, with choir and folk singing appearing as the most common genres.[5] The folk singer and segaba player Ratsie Setlhako was one of the most popular post-independence musicians, performing at most national events from 1966 until his death in 1976.[7]
The Botswana Telecommunications Authority started issuing radio broadcasting licenses in 1998. Yarona FM and Gabz FM began broadcasting in 1999.[8] South African jazz, kwaito, and hip hop emerged as major genres at this time, and hip hop became the country's most popular music genre by 2003.[5]
Traditional and folk music
[edit]Traditional folk songs are the most well known form of music to originate from Botswana, particularly those of the Tswana people.[6] Songs are performed by several vocalists and instrumentalists, who may harmonise with one another or stagger their notes to create momentum with interlocking sounds.[9] The reed dance is an example of harmonised choir that existed before the introduction of hymns in the colonial period.[2]
Historically, music of the peoples in present-day Botswana was closely associated with religion and spiritual healing. Upon their arrival, European missionaries challenged the traditional African music as it was closely associated with native religion and spiritual beliefs. Christian denominations that developed natively, like the Zion Christian Church, incorporate native healing songs in its practices.[10]
Traditional Tswana songs are pentatonic and have a short melody with a range of less than one octave. They use a call and response form in which the lead singer begins and is followed by the other singers. The response may be a repetition of the lead singer or a balancing melody, and the exchange is repeated numerous times, sometimes for several minutes.[11] Diatonic folk songs became more common as Setswana music was influenced by foreign styles.[12]
As Setswana and related languages are tone languages, these tonal changes can be used in musical performances, often with flutes.[13]
Music may be used to imitate animal sounds, such as bird calls. The San people use bowstrings to imitate the sound of hoofbeats.[3]
Dance is closely integrated with traditional music and an essential element of its performance.[5][10][14] Many of the instruments used in traditional songs require deliberate, complex movement of the body, particularly through the use of rattles.[9]
Play songs feature staccato sounds, made by clapping or by wearing rattles.[15]
Rite of passage songs carry messages for adolescents about innocence and chastity. Such songs for girls often use a moropa drum.[15]
War songs often incorporate a motlhatswa whistle or a lepatata horn.[15]
Traditional instruments
[edit]Vocalisation and string instruments make up the largest portion of Setswana folk music.[6] Musical bows are common string instruments, including lengope, the nkokwane, the segwane, and the mafata-iswaneng, which are resonated through the mouth, through a gourd, through a tin can, and through the ground, respectively.[16] The katara is a two-string or three-string guitar.[5] The segankuru is held on the shoulder using a wire and played with a bow in a circular motion.[16] This is the most common instrument in modern Setswana folk music.[17] The San people traditionally play the quashi, a type of bow-like lute.[18]
Matlhowa are rattles that are worn on the leg or the ankle. They are traditionally made of dried cocoons with pebbles or seeds.[17] Clapping is also common in traditional songs.[5] Wooden clappers may be used for this purpose, or marapo hand clappers crafted from bone. The sekinkane is a thumb piano sometimes used in Setswana folk music.[17]
Traditional wind instruments are often made of bone, reed, or animal horn. The lengwane and the motlhatswa, made of goat bone and a hollowed tree branch, respectively, are played by blowing across its top. The lenaka la phala, the lepatata, and the lenaka la tholo are made of an impala horn, a sable antelope horn, and a kudu horn, respectively. They are played by blowing into the instrument's narrow end.[16]
Drums are less common in Setswana folk music relative to that of other African peoples, both in how often they are used overall and how prominently they appear in songs where they are present.[6] The only type of drum found in traditional Setswana music is the moropa, which can be formed from several materials, such as a tree trunk, a milk jug, or a can.[17] The Kalanga people use drums more frequently.[5]
Some Batswana women are able to ululate, a trilling sound used as a form of cheering.[15]
Hip hop
[edit]Hip hop spread to Botswana from the United States. The Wizards were formed as an early hip hop group in Botswana, also incorporating reggae and rhythm and blues.[6] Thato Matlhabaphiri and Game Bantsi emerged as some of the most successful hip hop artists of Botswana in the early 21st century.[5] The radio and television show Strictly Hip-Hop, hosted by Draztik and Slim, helped popularise hip hop in Botswana. The record label Phat Boy signs with Batswana hip hop artists.[6]
Popular music
[edit]Botswana's popular music is broadly referred to as jazz, which is common among African countries, though it is distinct from the jazz that originated in the Western world. Botswana has relatively few native popular music artists, and most of the country's popular music is imported from Europe, South Africa, and the United States.[19]
There is an initiative to focus on revitalizing the Botswana music industry, instead of relying on foreign releases. Gumba-gumba is a form of modernized Zulu and Tswana music, mixed with traditional jazz.
The music of Botswana is minor in the world music scene. Botswana music is introduced from the British music media and French music media.
This genre has been influenced by South African artists. It found its way into Botswana, where it is popular. In Botswana artists found a way to incorporate South African Jazz, disco music, and Botswana traditional dances and songs to make it more appealing to local and international audience.
Kwaito music
[edit]This genre originates from the townships of Johannesburg. It has now found its way into Botswana, where it is becoming popular. Odirile Vee Sento's first album was released from Black Money Maker label.[20]
The kwaito singer Frank Lesokwane was one of the most successful artists in the early 21st century.[5]
Kwasa kwasa
[edit]An African version of rhumba, popularised in Central Africa, kwasa kwasa has a strong following in Botswana and has produced a number of musicians. It has a slower rhythm than original rhumba (increasing in tempo towards the middle of the song) and is calmer in style than its parent form, Afro-rhumba.
Some artists have attempted to speed up kwasa kwasa and make it more danceable. Artist Vee is one; his style is known as kwaito kwasa, a combination of kwaito music and kwasa kwasa rhythms and guitar.[21] Kwassa kwassa artists include:John Quaine and Gofaone El'Jeff Mfetane. Franco and Afro Musica was popular in Botswana.[22]
Rock and metal
[edit]The development of rock music's popularity in Botswana has been gradual.[23] The music has begun to gain momentum, partly due to mainstream media such as MTV, Channel O and the internet. The native Batswana have demonstrated an appreciation for this genre, and since 2000 many new bands have been formed; most play locally, but a few have toured southern Africa. Rock culture has been recognized with bands uniting in a "Rock Against AIDS" tour. Crackdust was famous Metal band in Botswana.[24]
The National Music Eisteddfod is held annually in Selebi-Phikwe.[25]
Industry and economics
[edit]Radio stations in Botswana often broadcast popular music. Each music station has a format, or a category of songs to be played; these are generally similar to but not the same as ordinary generic classification. Many radio stations in Botswana are locally owned media.
An independent music industry (indie music) does exist and artists remain at an indie label for their entire careers. Indie music may be in styles generally similar to mainstream music, but is often inaccessible, unusual, or otherwise unappealing to many people. Indie musicians often release some or all of their songs over the Internet for fans and others to download and listen.
Vendors often sell CDs made specifically to be played at weddings, featuring both wedding music and pop music.[26]
Education
[edit]Music is an important part of education in Botswana, and is a part of most or all school systems in the country. Music education is generally not mandatory in junior schools, and is an elective in later years. High schools generally offer classes in singing, mostly choral, and instrumentation in the form of a large school band.
Holidays and festivals
[edit]Public events and gatherings in Botswana are frequently accompanied by music, including holiday gatherings, fairs, dedications, and other celebrations.[27] Each type of event or subject has its own associated songs.[28]
It is common for individuals and groups to sing in public, sometimes spontaneously.[29]
Music is an important part of several Botswana holidays, playing a major part in the celebration of Christmas.
Botswana is home to numerous music festivals, which showcase styles ranging from house to jazz to hip hop. Some music festivals are opened in local areas.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Morton, Fred; Ramsay, Jeff, eds. (1987). The Birth of Botswana: A history of the Bechuanaland Protectorate from 1910 to 1966. Gaborone, Botswana: Longman Botswana. p. needed. ISBN 978-0-582-00584-6.
- ^ a b c Denbow & Thebe 2006, p. 195.
- ^ a b c Denbow & Thebe 2006, p. 196.
- ^ Denbow & Thebe 2006, p. 191.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Morton & Ramsay 2018, Music.
- ^ a b c d e f Akombo 2016, p. 34.
- ^ Morton & Ramsay 2018, Setlhako, Ratsie (ca. 1900–1976).
- ^ Morton & Ramsay 2018, Radio.
- ^ a b Denbow & Thebe 2006, p. 194.
- ^ a b Denbow & Thebe 2006, pp. 191–192.
- ^ Wood 1985, pp. 18–19.
- ^ Wood 1985, p. 19.
- ^ Denbow & Thebe 2006, pp. 195–196.
- ^ Wood 1985, p. 20.
- ^ a b c d Wood 1985, p. 18.
- ^ a b c Wood 1985, p. 24.
- ^ a b c d Wood 1985, p. 28.
- ^ Wood 1985, pp. 29–30.
- ^ Akombo 2016, pp. 34–35.
- ^ "Vee's first album". Botswana Unplugged. Rudeboy Nectar. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ Culture and customs of Botswana by James Raymond Denbow and Phenyo C. Thebe. Greenwood Publishing Group:2006(page 214) ISBN 0313331782.
- ^ Mokganedi, Mosah (2006-12-05). "Culture Spears steals limelight at BOMU music awards, Afro Musica sidelined in Franco video?". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
- ^ "Africa is the last frontier for metal: Botswana's metal heads still rocking". CNN. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
- ^ "Crackdust - Discography - Metal Kingdom". metalkingdom.net. Archived from the original on 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
- ^ "National Music Eisteddfod". ISTC.org. Archived from the original on 2004-01-20. Retrieved 2005-09-28.
- ^ Denbow & Thebe 2006, p. 147.
- ^ Wood 1985, pp. 15–16.
- ^ Wood 1985, p. 17.
- ^ Wood 1985, p. 16.
References
[edit]- Akombo, David Otieno (2016). The Unity of Music and Dance in World Cultures. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-9715-7.
- Denbow, James R.; Thebe, Phenyo C. (2006). Culture and Customs of Botswana. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-33178-7. OCLC 62118271.
- Morton, Barry; Ramsay, Jeff (2018). Historical Dictionary of Botswana (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-1133-8.
- Wood, Elizabeth N. (1985). "Traditional Music in Botswana". The Black Perspective in Music. 13 (1): 13–30. doi:10.2307/1214791. ISSN 0090-7790.