Dumza Maswana is performing in a show titled Ingoma Emgqubeni at Untitled Basement in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Someone once said that grandmas are “a little bit of a parent, a little bit of a teacher, and a little bit of a best friend.”
Singer and broadcaster Dumza Maswana experienced these three aspects of his late grandmother, whom he adored.
“My grandmother passed away 10 years ago and she never got to see me on stage. She is the first person I think of when something great happens,” Maswana said. Ta. The Citizen.
As his best friend, his grandmother made him listen to really good music and shared with him her love for radio station uMhlobo Wenene.
As a parent, she raised him to be an independent thinker who could overcome anything he set his mind to.
“Since I was little, she raised me to be independent and to be anything I wanted to be. She wanted me to be a teacher,” the singer asserted.
And like a teacher, she gave honest critiques on how he should sing in Ixosa, his native language, instead of yelling English nonsense.
“I remember when we released our first album in 2009. Isamu Sanka She loved it and frankly told me that my English songs were not good. Maswana said it makes her laugh every time, but she has points that she only realizes later.
Maswana told the publication before the show: Ingoma Mkubeni In an untitled basement in Johannesburg.
Also read: Lupita Nyong'o talks about learning isiXhosa: 'Clicks are no joke'
isiXhosa songbook
he said Ingoma Mkubeni The song is deeply reflective of the old Xhosa songbook he grew up listening to and eventually singing in his grandmother's house. It was there that he first encountered music production.
“This collection of songs has been preserved in memory, but now it resonates in public as a sentimental gesture to those who taught us how to sing. This work acknowledges that ingoma is a communal practice that accounts for all voices. This work is a call to all to sing and dance as one.” said.
Mr. Maswana is one of the leading experts when it comes to preserving and disseminating the isiXhosa language.
At a recent gala dinner in East London, Maswana invited respected retired isiXhosa newsreader Noxolo Grootboom to be a speaker. This made sense given our common understanding of the language.
“Mamnoxolo Grootboom is truly an icon and her humility is out of this world,” Maswana said.
“We talked about our love for isiXhosa, our beautiful culture and how we can promote and preserve it. I have always loved her, but it was great to be able to sit with her. The words she said to me will stay in my heart forever,'' Maswana said, adding that she didn't think Grootboom knew her.
“I didn't know she knew me. I know it really humbled me to realize that she was a fan of my work.”
With our show at Untitled Basement Maswana, we want to give Xhosa expatriates living around Joburg a feeling of home away from home.
“I stayed here for 15 years before coming back home. When I came here, I noticed that there were a lot of people who stayed here for a long time for work and took three weeks to get home. By coming here, I can bring home to them,” he said.
Maswana said she plans to bring back her uncles, grandmothers, childhood memories and other beautiful memories from her hometown to perform songs that are easy to sing along to.
“The important thing for me is to always remember who we are. So when they come to my show, they're actually visiting a home.”
Also read: Putoko Mafani remembers late beloved Pastor Rwekana of Umhlobo Wenneng
Umulobo Wenene FM
Hosts in Maswana Uncut Romukuro WeJAZZ Umhlobo Wenene FM program. “When I started, I had knowledge of the genre, but I wasn't very good at expressing it. But they were very patient with me until I found my voice,” says Fat. The singer spoke in a deep voice.
Grateful for the opportunity from management, Maswana said being a recording artist as well as a media contributor has allowed him to see how the media space operates.
“The biggest benefit is being able to study the genre, learn from the audience, and discover the sound and the people behind it,” he said.
“Having access to creators is something I don't take for granted. It's also a blessing to work with legends Siphiwo Magoda and Zolani Bonko who always give me feedback.”
Maswana is currently in the studio recording his next album, which will feature an orchestra. He plans to give the audience a taste of what will happen on Sunday's show.
Read now: Annual report: How weekly festival Black Labone saved the State Theater [VIDEO]
