Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about the South African Gospel choir "Joyous Celebration" and showcases a video of soloist Sphumelele Mbambo and the Joyous Celebration choir 16 singing "Tshala".
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Joyous Celebration for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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In South Africa''s isiZulu (Zulu) language the word "tshala" means "sow". I've also seen the meaning "plant" given for the Zulu word "tshala". In the Democratic Republic of the Congo "Tshala" is a given name and a last name.
Both Zulu and Luba are Bantu languages. However, websites that I have found for Luba names give the meaning of "Tshala" as "unknown". This may be an example of how words that are spelled the same and similarly and/or pronounced the same or similarly can have different meanings in different languages.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/03/congolese-singer-tshala-muana-lekela.html for a pancocojams post about the Congolese singer Tshala Muana.
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INFORMATION ABOUT JOYOUS CELEBRATION
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyous_Celebration
"Joyous Celebration is a South African Gospel choir which was formed in 1994 following the success of South Africa's first democratic elections. What was merely meant to be a one-time studio project by South African musicians turned into a massive platform for upcoming South African artists. The choir has enjoyed success in South Africa and the rest of the African continent, having released 22 albums as of 2018. It is one of South Africa's most successful gospel choirs, following acts like The Soweto Gospel Choir.[1]
[...]
Discography
Joyous Celebration release albums annually and have broken boundaries in the South African recording industry in terms of live DVD and CD recordings with a total of 24 live Albums from the years 1997-present. Most of the latter albums contain music composed by the singers, the founders and the friends of the choir in both the traditional and contemporary gospel industry. They also keep to the signature of true South African praise and worship with traditional songs which have been sung in church for decades. In addition the title of their albums in latter years often indicates the tiltle of the tour of the subsequent year.
[...]
Joyous Celebration
Origin Durban South Africa
Genres Contemporary Gospel
Years active 1996; present
Labels Sony BMG Africa”
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That Wikipedia article lists this name for Joyous Celebration 16 album that includes the song "Tshala": "Joyous Celebration 16: Royal Priesthood - Live in Johannesburg at Carnival City's Big Top Arena (2012)"
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LYRICS- TSHALA
(as sung by Joyous Celebration)
Tshala, tshala, ngezinyembezi.(Sow, sow with your tears)
Tshala, tshala, ungakhathali.(Sow, sow, and do not tire)
Tshala, tshala, ngezinyembezi(Sow, sow with your tears)
Inkos'iyezwa, iyabona. (Repeat)(The Lords hears you, He sees you)
Uzovuna, ngaphezu kokwazi(You will reap, more than you expected)
Uzothwala, umqhele phakade (repeat) (You will carry, the blessing forever)
Tshala, tshala, ngezinyembezi.(Sow, sow with your tears)
Tshala, tshala, ungakhathali.(Sow, sow, and do not tire)
Hlala hlala, hlal'e
Nkosini (Abide, abide, in the Lord)
Hlala hlala ungakhathali (Abide, abide, and do not tire)
Hlala hlala, hlal' ekholweni(Abide, abide, in faith)
Inkos'iyezwa, iyabona. (Repeat)(The Lords hears you, He sees you)
Uzovuna, ngaphezu kokwazi(You will reap, more than you expected)
Uzothwala, umqhele phakade (repeat) (You will carry, the blessing forever)
Hlala hlala, hlal' ekholweni(Abide, abide, in faith)
Inkos'iyezwa, iyabona. (Repeat)(The Lords hears you, He sees you)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zJ0EBAMij4, posted by Katlego Molope, 2018
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Joyous Celebration - Tshala
joyousVEVO. Published on Oct 12, 2015
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The summary for a sound file of this rendition* indicates that "This song is in Zulu language. Tshala means sow.
It was composed based on Psalm 126:5 - They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
*"Tshala (Sow) - Sphumelele", published by HisWordComforts, on May 12, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ztp5W8WZxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ztp5W8WZxw
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ADDENDUM: POSSIBLE ORIGINS & MEANINGS OF VARIOUS NAMES FROM THE 2018 BLACK PANTHER COMIC BOOK SERIES AND MOVIE: THE NAME "T'CHALLA
The name of the actor playing this role is given first followed by the name in that comic series/movie.
1. Chadwick Boseman - "T'Challa" / Black Panther
I'm not sure what the name "T'Challa" means. However, I've found the following examples of "Challa" in Africa:
a) The name "T'Challa" may have been based on the actual name of a late 19th century "lesser king" in Angola as documented in the book Six Years of a Traveller's Life in Western Africa by Francisco Travassos Valdez, which was published in 1861.
https://books.google.com/books?id=jewMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA172&lpg=PA172&dq=challa+tribe+africa&source=bl&ots=K7Z6KjzPc6&sig=6A793jD4tmnsfZWClT9Q_bRMqyU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt9pGFxYDZAhVC7FMKHaiDBO04ChDoAQg6MAY#v=onepage&q=challa%20tribe%20africa&f=false
Francisco Travassos Valdez, the Portuguese author of Six Years of a Traveller's Life in Western Africa, writes that his journey in Africa "commenced in 1852". Discussion of King Challa (termed the great king Challa at one point in this book) is found in chapter VI.. Challa's name is given earlier in that chapter, but the main portion that refers to him and his people is found on pages 192-211.
King Challa is also mentioned in the more widely known book The Golden Bough:
Google Books Result
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=162558251X
James Frazer - 2013 - History
"The Matiamvo is a great king or emperor in the interior of Angola. One of the inferior kings of the country, by name Challa, gave to a Portuguese expedition the following account of the manner in which the Matiamvo comes by his end”...
[WARNING: That 1861 book and the passage from that book which is quoted in The Golden Bough contains graphic descriptions of slaughter.]
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"In the context of this quote "inferior kings " means "lesser kings" who owed submission to the great king" (in that region). That great king and all of his people-including his lesser kings-were formally under the control of the Portuguese, in large part because the Portuguese's guns "vomited death".
b) "Lake Chala, also known as Dschalla,[1] is a crater lake in a caldera[2] on the borders of Kenya and Tanzania on the eastern edge of Mount Kilimanjaro"...
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chala
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"Lake Chala" is also given as "Lake Challa"
c) name of an ethnic group in Nigeria's Plateau State
From http://allafrica.com/stories/201306210697.html 21 JUNE 2013
Daily Trust (Abuja)
"Nigeria: Plateau - Fulani, Challa to Form Vigilante Group
Jos — Fulani, Challa and other tribes in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State have resolved to form a joint vigilante group to help restore peace to the area.
This was contained in a communique presented at the end of a stakeholders meeting between the joint security committee and relevant stakeholders from Bokkos Local Government Area in Jos yesterday. The meeting which was chaired by the commander of the Special Task Force (STF), Major General Henry Ayoola, resolved that measures must be put in place to regulate the influx of illegal immigrants into the state for peace to be sustained."..
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UPDATE March 7, 2018
Here's another African name that is quite similar to the name "TChalla":
From https://www.last.fm/music/Tshala+Muana
"Tshala Muana is a [female] singer from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She began her career as a dancer for the great Zairian singer Abeti Massikini, practising "mutwashi" dances from the Kasai region. In the 80's she began performing as a singer. She has enjoyed success in several West African countries, more so than in her own country."...
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Also, "tshala" is Zulu word that means "sow"/"plant" and is the title of a contemporary South African Gospel song. https://africangospellyrics.com/2013/01/15/tshala-sowplant-by-sphumelele-and-joyous-celebration-16/
I don't know whether any of the information given here had any influence on the selection of the name TChalla as the name for the 1966 Black Panther comic book character (and later the name for the movie character).
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This section is part of the following pancocojams post "Traditional African Languages, Arabic Languages, & Other Sources For Names In The 2018 Black Panther Movie" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/01/possible-origins-meanings-of-names-from.html .
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A number of commenters in this video's discussion thread wrote that the dresses that many of the choir members wore were too revealing. Those commenters chided Joyous Celebration for copying Western fashions.
ReplyDeleteIn response to these comments, Zee Shezi noted that "these outfits are ok I think because if they were to put on Zulu or Swati attires which are traditionally revealing so women can show off n brag about their bodies I don't know if the other ppl would be able to handle that, but that will be aunthetic dress code n not western".
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While it's true that those dresses are in "Western" [European & American] styles, it should be noted that in those countries female members of religious choirs or groups (including soloists) don't wear dresses or blouses that are cut that low.
That said, I love this song and its message.
DeleteI also love the soloist's, choir's, and audience's dance movements that are performed while singing this song.
At least one commenter in that video's discussion thread wrote that that the soloist's (Sphumelele Mbambo) dress was Ndebele.
ReplyDeleteHere's an excerpt from the Wikipedia page about the Ndebele ethnic group:
"Ndebele art has always been an important identifying characteristic of the Ndebele. Apart from its aesthetic appeal it has a cultural significance that serves to reinforce the distinctive Ndebele identity. The Ndebele's essential artistic skill has always been understood to be the ability to combine exterior sources of stimulation with traditional design concepts borrowed from their ancestors. Ndebele artists also demonstrated a fascination with the linear quality of elements in their environment and this is depicted in their artwork. Painting was done freehand, without prior layouts, although the designs were planned beforehand.
The characteristic symmetry, proportion and straight edges of Ndebele decorations were done by hand without the help of rulers and squares. Ndebele women were responsible for painting the colourful and intricate patterns on the walls of their houses. This presented the traditionally subordinate wife with an opportunity to express her individuality and sense of self-worth. Her innovativeness in the choice of colours and designs set her apart from her peer group. In some instances, the women also created sculptures to express themselves.
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Contemporary Ndebele artists make use of a wider variety of colours (blues, reds, greens and yellows) than traditional artists were able to, mainly because of their commercial availability. Traditionally, muted earth colours, made from ground ochre, and different natural-coloured clays, in white, browns, pinks and yellows, were used. Black was derived from charcoal. Today, bright colours are the order of the day. As Ndebele society became more westernised, the artists started reflecting this change of their society in their paintings. Another change is the addition of stylised representational forms to the typical traditional abstract geometric designs. Many Ndebele artists have now also extended their artwork to the interior of houses. Ndebele artists also produce other crafts such as sleeping mats and isingolwani."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ndebele_people