Amasu asetshenziswa ngomasikandi besizulu emculweni wabo

This research on the subject is one of a few written in the medium of isiZulu. Further, it is one of the few conducted on masikandi music in this depth. It identifies and analyzes strategies used by Zulu masikandis in their music. The researcher in this study demonstrated that Zulu masikandis comprise males and females and that at present male masikandis are dominating this genre. Besides that, the study also revealed two categories of Zulu masikandis: those who recorded their music and those who could not. The researcher demonstrated also that Zulu masikandis use different effective strategies for different purposes in their music. He demonstrated that Zulu masikandis use different strategies to introduce themselves to their followers and their counterparts, to brag about certain members of their groups, to coin and use nicknames, to reveal their themes, to reveal their emotions, to use various types of imagery and to use strategies which are the results of influences of factors like Christianity, riddles, folktales and praise-poems. Some of the challenges are that other masikandis find it very difficult to record their music owing to financial problems, other producers are corrupt, as masikandis are influential figures in public there is a danger that they can mislead the public by coining and spreading unstandardized Zulu expressions through their songs. Finally, it must be pointed out that the study of masikandi music, particularly strategies used by Zulu masikandis, makes a great contribution to the study of literature. The reason is that it introduces a new path, the different strategies used by Zulu masikandis in their music, categories of Zulu masikandis, nicknames for Zulu masikandis which are coined by themselves and sometimes by members of the public and different methods of collecting data to be used by other researchers. Therefore, it is worthy of publication.African LanguagesD. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages

Maskandi: A critical discourse analysis of indigenous isiZulu songs

Although different researchers have written various papers about metaphors, very little is known about ways in which a maskandi group called Shwi noMtekhala uses metaphor to convey very sensitive messages and culturally appropriate rhetorical expressions. This study reports on Shwi noMtekhala’s conveyance of a sensitive message, in a song entitled ‘Ubuhle Bakhe’, from a critical discourse analysis perspective and then draws inferences on how this indigenous musical genre can be a tool for reading literacy instruction among early readers. I chose to analyse this particular song as a representative of maskandi groups which use imagery, as well as other musical expressions, to convey very sensitive messages. The main finding of the analysis is that the reported song reveals a number of sociocultural themes relating to ways of knowing in indigenous literacy systems. These include use of metaphoric expressions, call-and-response patterns, repetition, indirection, interactive and group dynamics that are general, yet particular, to the isiZulu maskandi tradition. Different from what previous research found about the aesthetics of this music group, I have shown that its principles can be used for literacy instruction among early readers. In the end, implications for using indigenous music systems and their resultant pedagogical strategies are considered for adaptation in classrooms

Maskandi: A critical general inductive approach of Zulu indigenous song

Although different researchers have written various papers about Zulu culture, very little is known about the close connection between maskandi music and Zulu culture. As a result this study reports on maskandi music as a means of preserving cultural treasures from the perspective of a critical general inductive approach and then draws inferences on how this indigenous music genre can be a tool for bringing about peace and reconciliation among people. Zulu maskandi music was chosen as a representative of African indigenous music genres that preserve cultural treasures. The main finding of the analysis is that the reported music genre reveals three interrelated components, that is dynamics of language, dynamics of the Zulu culture and the different listeners/audiences of this genre. While these components complement one another, they are also interwoven. When listening to maskandi music, listeners acquire knowledge of the Zulu culture embedded in the language. The significance of this study is that it reveals that, through music, people can learn more about one another’s culture. Therefore, music can be used as a bridge builder between cultures

Ukucutshungulwa kwefilimu lomlando elithi Shaka Zulu ngeso lomhluzi

AFRICAN LANGUAGESMA (AFRICAN LANGUAGES