PRESERVING traditional African instruments is a passion project for Mbusi Ndlela, a musician who works at Mmaletsatsi Productions, at the Phansi Museum.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues across the globe, Ndlela highlights the healing properties associated with traditional instruments like the Ugubhu, a singular stringed instrument played with a bow.
“In times of uncertainty with Covid-19, instruments like Ugubhu have special significance – it’s not an instrument you’d see on stage in front of a huge crowd, but it’s got cultural relevance and soothing quality. Traditionally, it’s an instrument that can heal. This is an ancient belief. There is also a healing drum in African religious beliefs,” he said.
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The instrument highlights the personal expression in music rather than the showmanship of performing on a stage.
“It’s an archaic instrument and people are losing interest because it’s not very loud, but it was always a very personal instrument, where you would play and sing out whatever you are thinking- in that way it is healing- in that you are able to express yourself without any rules,” said Ndella.
Mmaletsatsi Productions builds instruments and shares knowledge with the community.
“We run a community programme at the Phansi Museum for young musicians to come to the museum and learn more about the isiZulu culture,” explained Ndlela.
The instrument is referred to as Uhhadi in the Eastern Cape and in Swaziland the instrument is uMakhweyana.
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“Originally isiZulu songs were created with those instruments. isiZulu tonality comes from those instruments. It encapsulates the isiZulu ways. It captures the way we speak and communicate and the way children were put to bed with a lullaby. The instrument has a calming effect and its a form of therapy or discipline for the person who plays the instrument. It’s got a lot of useful and uplifting qualities,” said Ndlela.
“The harmonics are represented in a similar way to the way colours a represented in the spectrum of the rainbow – when you see the spectrum of colour as a rainbow, you see nature drawing a picture of all the colours there are in the spectrum,” he added.
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