Zulu values brought to life in Afropunk

SOUTH Africans are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity on Heritage Day, 24 September. The Northglen News ‘sounds’ the call to come together with this story Afropunk music and the values of Zulu culture. Music has become an important vehicle to convey messages to his community, said Innocent Mathaba, a Kenville resident.

“Music brings the community together. Zulu people believe music can deliver a message to the community. Music like Hip Hop is all about good writing. We are trying bring back old ideas in modern music,” he said.

Mathaba’s Afropunk music paved the way for him to become a leader in his community.

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“I was voted to be a leader in the Siyathuthuka Informal Settlement because I was encouraging people through music. I have a positive influence on the youth, my music teaches them not to use alcohol and drugs. Music has also transformed me – I might have ended up in jail without it. Music has composed me and given me a sense of self control,” he said.

Mathaba first began sharing his music as part of a group of three performers known as the DBGs in 2010. This year, as a solo artist, he released his song Likuda Ithemba Lam, featuring Nosipho Yaka, which is free for the community to download or view on YouTube. The song speaks of yesteryear, when men were sent far away to work in the cities, leaving their families at home.

“The song talks about a boyfriend or husband who is working very far away. It encourages people to stay committed to one relationship because long distance relationships only work if you know that you love your partner. In our culture, in the past years, our fathers would go to Johannesburg to work and our mothers would stay at home and they would be apart for about three or four months at a time. It was very hard for them, but they were able to cope,” he said.

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Through the song, Mathaba hopes to encourage the youth to remember their parents dedication which he sees as a key value of Zulu culture.

“The song is encouraging people today to go back to that love that can keep a relationship strong across a long distance,” he explained.

Writing songs is a labour of love for Mathaba who always looks for input from his partner, Simphiwe Gumede.

“She has supported me a lot. Each song I record, I take it to her to hear her comments and she helps to make the song better in terms of ideas for the song. She also encourages me not to be afraid of failing, but just to try,” he said.

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