Introduction
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| The Township Funk |
The historical background of Kwaito music all started after the post –apartheid of South African colonial struggle. Its rhyme and sounds is developed from five local and cultural music genres which influenced its movement. The sounds show the warm hospitality and passion that came out of the South African people. The passion, as many would describe it, emerged from mood rhythms that created dance styles such as diskie, pantsula, circle dance, gumboot dance, and many others. Kwaito being the angry voice of the townships highlights the way people displayed their concerns about the post- apartheid and life struggle in Soweto skwata camps of Johannesburg.
History
It all started when the first early Khoisan people lived in the coastal and eastern parts of the country for hunting and gazing reasons. Than in 1652, the first European settlers Jan Van Riebeeck and the 90 men who landed at the Cape of Good Hope under the Dutch East India Company built a fort and vegetable garden for the eastern trade route. The two groups began battering and more European settlers slowly took over the land without the acknowledgment from the Khoisan people. Khoisan saw a threat as more Europeans settle on their land and the same year slaves were important and a colony developed.
As more European migrated to the Eastern Cape, they quickly lost their Dutch, German, and French identification and new generation known as Afrikaners and Boer was born, speaking a Dutch dialect known as Afrikaans. By 1790’s, colonials started fighting among themselves for land. In 1795, British took Eastern Cape from the Dutch and 7 yrs later the Dutch government gained it back. However, by1806, Eastern Cape was returned back to British with help from Napoleon and Holland bringing in 5,000 more settlers.
The discovery of diamonds and gold stroked an Anglo-Boer war between the British and Boers. Cape front war between the British and Xhosa people also developed. In the mean while, the Boer and Zulu ethnic groups were also fighting for land at for Kwanza Nutal. However, the Zulu lost the war and the country was named to Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek. By 1910, the New South Africa union was led by Louis Bothe, a Boer, who became the first South African president.
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| When Apartheid becomes controversial |
As the Afrikaners were taking over, Black South Africans also started organizational public actives such as the African National Congress, which was led by young fighters like Nelson Mandela and many others to fighting for freedom and land. Nonetheless, by 1948 law of Apartheid was passed and this restricted black people from owning land. Resistance culminated in the Sharpeville Massacre in March 1960, during which the police killed 69 protesters. The ANC responded by going underground and establishing an armed wing (Spear of the Nation), which was at the forefront of the South African apartheid struggle.
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| Life Gets harder and harder for the living |
The government, in return, tightened its repressive measures and attempting to crush the movement and forcing those leaders who were not incarcerated on Robben Island, to flee overseas. After regrouping, the ANC in exile, as well as internal underground structures were able to bring such pressure to bear on the apartheid government that it unbanned all liberation movements in 1990, freed imprisoned leaders and entered negotiations, which culminated in the first democratic elections being held on 27 April 1994.
Why Apartheid?
Political race laws touched on every aspect of social life. People where categorized according to decanted, appearance and social acceptance. Apartheid acted as a racial separation which divided South Africans into whites, blacks, and coloreds (mixture of Indian or Asian and non-whites). Political rights such as voting, job occupations where restricted according to designated homelands. In addition, the freedom to travel was ruled by passport holders an idea which was aimed mainly at black South African. And in the process losing their citizenship in South Africa and therefore becoming homeland citizens.
After apartheid, Kwaito was the voice of emotional expression. Black South African wanted something to relate too and to tell their stories and voice their opinions. Lyrics of anger, aggressive shouted blabbered and chanted words. They took the ward Kwaito from “Amakwaito” in the 1950’s from a South African gangster group situated in the hearts of Johannesburg Township.
Although Kwaito migrated from the post-apartheid era as part of the South African history, it showed how proud South African was of all things townships. It had essence of Mbaganga sounds (1980’s) developed in South African townships around Johannesburg and Durban with Zulu language in the early 1060’s. Mbaganga means cornmeal porridge that South African people eat everyday for breakfast; Kwela sounds (1950’s)- southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive, Skiffle beat which means “get up” or “police van” in Zulu.
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| South African Youth dancing Kwaito |
Kwela sounds also feature a cheap penny whistle which served as a lead voice in the 1940-1950s; Marabi sounds (1920’s)- South African key board played in local bars and Shebeens of Johannesburg; Traditional marimba sounds using an instruments and keys resemble the piano. With its many local personalities, sounds, dances, and flavor Kwaito has made quiet an in fluently base in the township communities. Kwaito’s Base line sounds such as house music is used as background music for people to dance or artist to sing live. With its locally flavored sounds, it is sung with a mixture of English, Zulu, Sesotho, and Isicamtho local languages. Now, it is influenced by pop, jazz, and Reggae music. Moreover, it has traveled to other African countries such as its neighboring Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and many others. A typical Kwaito CD would sell for R25.00 or R30.00 South African Rands. Tracks would have a recognizable South African music element or feel to it. And if you happen to listen to Namibian Kwaito, there is really not much difference except for the language and slang words in it.
International breakthrough
Today, Kwaito is gradually expanding to other countries such as the China and Japan. Other influence includes Europe and Australia. With Famous Namibian and South African artist like Ees, Arthur Majakote, Gazza, and The Dog selling beyond their native countries. Although, Kwaito it’s not as big in America as it is on other continents, it’s slowing traveling here. Artist like the Dog and Gazza perform in New York, Michigan and Chicago every year and one can find their videos on YouTube. You can also buy their albums on iTunes, Amazon, and cduniverse.com. Today, Kwaito is however very popular in Canada, London Hamburg and Germany. Its global hybrid has connected the Southern Africa to the world.
Typically, Kwaito is a communicative engine. It has no color or boundaries. It connects the world to African and it educates the youth about culture, politics, and life in general. Kwaito is what we call music that created the environment. Since the life environment in South Africa was so intense, it broke the ice and made people happy again. People from various nations came together by using language, dance, and social media. Social network is a powerful tool to incorporate in our daily lives.
To find out more about Kwaito Music and South African history please visit the sites below.
iTunes.com
CDuniverisary
