Edited by Azizi Powell
Update: May 3, 2020
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the costumes* that are worn by members of South Africa's Soweto Gospel Choir.
Part II supplements Part I by showcases seven YouTube examples of Soweto Gospel Choir.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/02/information-comments-about-costumes.html for Part I of this series. Part I provides information and comments about the costumes that are worn by members of Soweto Gospel Choir.
Additional pancocojams posts about Soweto Gospel Choir can be accessed by clicking the "Soweto Gospel Choir" link that is found below. The videos that are included in those post also provide examples of the this choir's costumes.
As a secondary interest, each of these videos show the various ways that female members of Soweto Gospel Choir wear their hair. In most of the videos embedded in this post women have natural braids with hair extensions. In other videos (such as #4 below), women wear a straight (unbraided) hair piece in a pony tail. There are only a few examples in some of these videos (such as #5 below) of female members of Soweto Gospel Choir wearing their hair straightened chemically or with a hot comb, or wearing straight wigs. Video #6 also shows some females with locs (dread locs) or with braid outs or twist outs (hair twisted or braided and then untwisted/unbraided.)
Also, these videos document that some male members of Soweto Gospel Choir also wear their hair natural (without extensions). However, most of the males in these videos are bald.
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The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Soweto Gospel Choir for their musical legacy and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Congratulations to Soweto Gospel Choir for their third Grammy award - World Best Music Album (2019). In 2006 and 2007, they won Grammy awards in the category for Best Traditional World Music Album.
-snip-
*I'm using the term "costumes" here as that is the term that is used in all of the online articles that I've found. "Costumes" includes the head gear that is sometimes worn by some members of this choir, particularly the women.
The word "costumes" implies that these aren't the "regular", everyday non-performance clothing that are worn by these women and men. "Non-performance" clothing would be referred to as "outfits" rather than "costumes".
DISCLAIMER: This post isn't meant to convey that these are the only costumes that have been worn by members of the Soweto Gospel Choir.
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VIDEO EXAMPLES
Video #1: Soweto Gospel Choir
QPAC, Jan 8, 2013
-snip-
The first song that the choir sings is "Amazing Grace". I don't know the name of the second song.
-snip-
This video replaces the one that was originally embedded in this post which is no longer available.
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Video #2: Soweto Gospel Choir - Live at the NMT - Hakeleje
sowetogospelfans, Published on Nov 16, 2017
The Soweto Gospel Choir performs "Hakeleje" as part of their Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre concert in 2008.
-snip-
This video was given as #8 IN this pancocojams post, but now replaces a video that is no longer available. When I published this video in this post I asked if the choir was singing in Zulu. Thanks to Nthabiseng Mampa
(on May 3, 2020) for sharing the information that this song is in Sotho.
Here's my response to that comment published on May 3, 2020 a few hours after Nthabiseng Mampa's comment:
"Thanks for that information.
Prompted by your response, I used Google search and found these lyrics for that song on https://www.sowetogospelchoir.com/lyrics/
In the section entitled AFRICAN SPIRIT LYRICS / TRANSLATIONS
"Hakeleje
( When I’m Like This)
Sotho traditional
Ha ke le tjee ke le mobe Kele ya kgesehang Na hara baetsadibe Na ke bonde joang
Jo ke mohlolo-hlolo Ha ke ratoa le’nna Ka rato le lekalo Le ke morena
Oa maatla, oa mpatlisisa Ka dilemo lemo Oa mzumana, oa mphedisa Oona Modimo Jo ke mohlolo-hlolo
Ke phela ka boiketlo Atleng tsa morena Ke ka thaka ya leihlo Le’nna ho eena Jo ke mohlolo-hlolo
English –
When I’m bad and awful among all sinners How did he notice me This is a miracle that i’m also loved by the Lord You have searched for me for years and you have found me You have saved my life my Lord This is a miracle that i’m also loved by such great love from my Lord
"
snip
Thanks so much Nthabiseng Mampa and Soweto Gospel Choir.
Be safe and healthy in these difficult times!"
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Video #3: HOSANNA--Soweto Gospel Choir.wmv [sound file]
mBraunboeck3, Published on Aug 1, 2011
-snip-
I don't know who composed this religious song which is sung in English.
Update: February 18, 2019: The circular (crown) shaped hats worn in this photograph are from the Zulu ethnic group. Here's information from https://theculturetrip.com/africa/south-africa/articles/an-introduction-to-south-african-traditional-dress/: "The most iconic adornment are circular-shaped hats called izicolo, which are worn by married women. These hats were traditionally made of grass and cotton and measured as much as a metre across to protect the wearer from the sun.for information about these hats."
Additional information about these hats can be found at https://eshowe.com/traditional-zulu-clothing/.
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Video #4: This Little Light Of Mine - Soweto Gospel Choir.flv
nubianmazen, Published on Dec 29, 2011
-snip-
"This Little Light Of Mine" is an African American Spiritual.
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Video #5: Soweto Gospel Choir
QPAC, Published on Jan 8, 2013
-snip-
This video features various songs.
This video also has the most diverse number of hair styles for Soweto Gospel Choir's female members.
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Video #6: Soweto Gospel Choir - UMBOMBELA
Soweto Gospel Choir, Published on Jul 23, 2018
Preview of the first single that will be released in the USA in September 2018, from the upcoming Soweto Gospel Choir album "Freedom"
-snip-
From http://blackgrooves.org/soweto-gospel-choir-freedom/
"Title: Freedom
Artist: Soweto Gospel Choir
Label: Shanachie
Formats: CD, Digital
Release Date: September 14, 2018
Described as “meticulous and unstoppable… spirited and secular” by the New York Times, the Soweto Gospel Choir is back with their sixth Shanachie Entertainment album, Freedom. Fittingly, this collection of freedom songs from the Grammy Award and Emmy winning group marks the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, a figure who signified love, peace, and strength and who has been an inspiration to the choir.
Freedom is a collection of twelve songs sung in six of South Africa’s eleven official languages in addition to English. The album’s first single, “Umbombela” meaning “train song,” addresses the hardships of Black apartheid-era South Africans who were forced to travel long distances as migrant workers....
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Video #7: SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR: “HALLELUJAH” di LEONARD COHEN (Bis concerto “FREEDOM”) – MILANO, 30.11.2018
Callassino, Published on Dec 1, 2018
-snip-
"Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah_(Leonard_Cohen_song)
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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
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