Christmas traditions: as told by Durban singer, Thulile Zama

AS Christmas Day draws near, the Berea Mail reached out to Thulile Zama, a local celebrity, to find out more about her favourite Christmas traditions, wish list items, and what she hopes to find on her plate during Christmas lunch.

Durban vocalist and concert coordinator,  Zama is a founding member of the all-female Jazz band, Heels Over Head.  Zama also sings alongside David Smith in N’den. The duo will perform at the Durban Curry Cafe at Ushaka Beach on Sunday, December 26. N’den released a debut single, Coffee In The Morning, in April 2021, which is available on all digital music platforms.

Also read: Durban duo impress with rhythm, rhymes and rap

Her debut album Could it be? won Zama a South African Music Awards nomination for best contemporary jazz album in 2011.

We asked Zama a few festive questions and this is what she had to say:

Also read: Ticket giveaway: Jazz show ends with dynamic duo

What are your favourite Christmas Traditions that you can’t go without?

“Christmas carols. Carolling and practicing carols takes a lot of preparation but I love every bit of it!”

How has Covid-19 impacted the way you celebrate Christmas?

“We cannot gather with other family members and it has meant just keeping to the immediate family. Covid-19 has really impacted on one’s social life as well.”

Do you prefer homemade Christmas gifts or shop-bought presents? What is your family’s stance on gifts?

“We do not really do Christmas gifts. When you are young, you get new clothes, and you get to debut them on Christmas day. For my family, Christmas time is about gathering with our loved ones and spending time together over meals.”

What is your favorite Christmas meal?

“I enjoy lots of salad and roasts or a braai, again, with various salads and an assortment of meat. Dessert time must include Choice assorted biscuits.”

Are there any charities you are supporting this Christmas?

“We (N’den) were involved in the Manning Road Methodist Church’s Jazz carols and a Cuppa, where the worship group and N’den provided the music, and a barista served fabulous coffees. All proceeds were donated to the Ethelbert Child and Youth Care Centre. Pre-covid, we used to enjoy going to old age homes or children’s homes to give Christmas concerts at this time of the year.”

What’s your stance on New Years resolutions?

“I do not really make New Year resolutions in December or January. I believe in setting goals and consistently checking in that I am still on track.”

Visit N’den’s website, www.ndenmusic.co.za or follow them on Instagram or Twitter at nden_music or Facebook at NDENMUSIC.

  Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.        Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Berea community news via Telegram? Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409. You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts. Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.