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Thula Sizwe

The authentic songs and dances of South Africa came alive on the stage at Howell High School when Thula Sizwe performed for students and staff members during a stop on its tour of the United States.

Like the beating of a heart, the rhythms and sounds of multiharmonic South African a cappella soul have come alive at Howell High School.

For Thula Sizwe, a Nov. 8 performance at the high school was the last stop on the seventh tour of the United States before returning to their homes in Pretoria, the capital of the Republic of South Africa, and to neighboring villages and townships.

The group’s songs range from a prayerful melody asking for peace in our “whaleh” (world), to the familiar “Lion Sleeps Tonight,” also known as “Whimoweh” or “Mbube,” once made famous by folk singer Pete Seeger and the Weavers, then by Xosian folk singer Miriam Makeba, and finally popularized by the Tokens as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” in the 1960s.

Thula Sizwe, which means hush and listen, have brought a slice of South African heritage to the students at Howell.

“Thula Sizwe consists of 11 members from different South African tribes, including Zulu and Sotho,” said William Field, professor of political science at Georgian Court University, Lake-wood, who along with his wife, Susan, have managed the troupe in the United States.

“We’ve mortgaged the house to get them here,” Field said.

Born out of love of country, family and traditional African harmony and dance, Thula Sizwe celebrates all of humanity in a joyous uplifting of voices, dance and heart-pounding percussive African rhythms.

Field said the group has been together, singing, dancing and sharing their cultural heritage, predominantly Zulu, since 1986. It was in that year that these young men, who were separated from their families by the political policy of apartheid, joined together to enjoy themselves in the evening. As a result of finding that commonalty, the group was founded and Thula Sizwe became a reality.

Thula Sizwe has performed all over the world and recently brought a taste of South African musical heritage to Howell High School.

They have performed all over the world, including tours in Russia, China, Singapore, Aus-tralia, the United Kingdom and South Korea, said Field. They have also given a taste of their rich heritage to the people of Germany and many other Euro-pean Union nations, as well as in Israel, Turkey, Belgium, Jordan and the people of the West Bank and Gaza.

They performed in 1992 when Nelson Mandela was released from prison and in that same year at Paul Simon’s Graceland concert. In 1994, Thula Sizwe performed at Mandela’s inauguration ceremony as the president of South Africa.

In 1988 Abel Dlamini joined the group and has been their leader ever since.

The musical style of Thula Sizwe is based in ancient Zulu cultural traditions and has been enhanced by Dlamini, who learned many of the dances from his father, who learned them from his father, and so on, over the course of many generations.

Field said the group members combine their singing and dancing talents with modern compositions by Dlamini and other members of the group.


Singing, dancing and performing have also helped the group economically.

“There is a 40 to 60 percent unem-ployment rate in South Africa today,” noted Field. “This is the only means of livelihood for members of the group.”

Back home in South Africa they live 15 to a house, Field explained.

“All of the members of Thule Sizwe are married and have children,” said the professor.

While in the United States the group has performed in churches and schools from Maryland to Connecticut, and, at times, has toured the United States for periods of eight weeks.

Thula Sizwe uses a distinctive style and the essence of this style is call and response, in which a leader selects the piece to be sung, sets the tone with an initial phrase and sparks a response from the other members of the group. Many of the songs sung by the group are in this style.

“There is a mixture of religious music, inspired by their faith in God,” said Field. “Songs are sung in Zulu, English, Sotho and African.”

The group also performs traditional and energizing dances from South African tradition, including a South African wedding dance.

The Zulus, for hundreds of years, were fierce warriors and today they keep their heritage alive by wearing authentic costumes made from various animals found in South Africa.

“All the materials are natural,” said Koti Prinsloo, a retired South African diplomat who is the narrator for the group at performances.

The rings on their head pieces indicate that they have won many battles, Prinsloo explained.

Other parts of their outfits include sheep skin, antelope, horsetail, and a headdress made from gazelle. Leaders have the honor of wearing leopard skins.

Before the group ended its performance, the students stood respectfully while members of Thula Sizwe placed their hands across their hearts and sang the national anthem of the Republic of South Africa in four languages — African, English, Zulu and Sotho.

“The national anthem is a combination of the old freedom song that was forbidden and the anthem of the old South Africa,” said Prinsloo.

(Article from. http://tritown.gmnews.com/news/2005/1117/Front_page/004.html)