Thandeka Mfinyongo and Dr. Katharina Greven about indigenous Xhosa music

Abstract

Abstract: In this latest episode of the Cluster Conversations, artist fellow Thandeka Mfinyongo talks with her host Dr. Katharina Greven about her recent residency with the Cluster of Excellence in Bayreuth. During her stay, Thandeka Mfinyongo was working on her project “Ingoduko” which she considers a sort of homecoming and an appreciation of African music – her music encapsulates where it began and a nostalgia of home. It is a musical performance celebrating our culture and giving a voice to the Xhosa indigenous instruments, uhadi (gourd bow) and umrhubhe (mouth bow). While in Bayreuth she gave workshops and concerts to teach indigenous music to young people and anyone interested.

People & roles

Guest(s): Mfinyongo, Thandeka; Greven, Katharina

Origins & context

Title: Thandeka Mfinyongo and Dr. Katharina Greven about indigenous Xhosa music
Language: English
Podcast series: Cluster Conversations
Date: March 31, 2025

Rights & access

Extent: 24 minutes, 37 seconds

Identifiers & sources

has URL: https://www.africamultiple.uni-bayreuth.de/en/1_4-Public-engagement_-engagement1/Podcasts/ClusterConversations/episode-30/index.html

Further details

Episode number: 30

Full text

Speaker 1: Cluster Conversations, a podcast by Africa Multiple. [music] Speaker 1: Welcome to the latest episode of Cluster Conversations. I am Katharina Greven, the academic host of this brilliant musician Tandekam Fenyongo. Hello. Speaker 2: Hi. Speaker 1: How are you? Speaker 2: All right. Speaker 1: What did we just hear? For everybody who hasn't been at your concerts we did over the last four months, what did we just hear? Speaker 2: You just heard the sound of Ohadi, which is a Xhosa instrument from South Africa. This particular one belongs to the Xhosa people. The song is called Uweini. Yeah, so this is what you just heard. Speaker 1: And can you tell us what that instrument looks like, as we are in a podcast and nobody can see it? Speaker 2: The instrument is made of one wood and one string and a calabash. So the calabash you put it against your chest when you play away and against your chest to get the overtones. And you use a stick to hit it where to get the, you know, whatever that you're playing. So you have a stick on your right hand, you have an instrument on your left hand. So you play it away and on your chest. Speaker 1: And I mean, before we get into your whole journey as a musician, we are now at the end of your residency. Yes. You have been here for four months. What were your highlights? Speaker 2: Wow, it's been great. When you say highlights, I feel like a traitor. Does it mean that the other one was higher than the other? I think everything was a highlight. Speaker 1: They're all highlights. Just name them all. Speaker 2: I think, I mean, from the very beginning going to the, because I brought the instruments with me, the material, but we didn't have the sticks for playing the instrument. So from going to the forest to collect the material for playing with the participants that I was playing to, that was really big for me. And to hear just how, you know, the instrument sounds with a different material. The making of the… Read the full text about 3,937 words