D CHOIR, July 21, 2024 PHUTHADITJHABA
#dchoir #clapandtap #clapntap
Music video shot in Maluti a Phofung Qwa Qwa during an event
with Universal Catholic
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases an example of South African Clap & Tap Gospel music that is performed by St. Pitso Spiritual Group. The title of the song is "Senganang".
This post presents information about Clap & Tap music, information about St.Pitso Spiritual Group,and the meaning of the Sesotho title of this showcased song.
Information about the South African city Phuthaditjhaba is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer/s and arranger/s of this song and thanks to St. Pitso Spiritual Group for their musical ministry. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this pancocojams post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/11/five-videos-of-vusi-mighty-singers.html "Examples Of South African Clap & Tap Gospel Music: Six
Videos Of Vusi & The Mighty Singers" for an additional pancocojams posts on clap & tap music.
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INFORMATION ABOUT CLAP & TAP MUSIC
EXCERPT #1
From https://www.chosic.com/genre-chart/clap-and-tap/ [no author or date cited]
"Clap and tap is a unique music genre that originated
in South Africa and is characterized by a combination of hand clapping and foot
stomping rhythms, often accompanied by traditional African instruments. This
genre is typically associated with religious music and is commonly performed in
churches. The music is upbeat and energetic, with lyrics that often center
around themes of faith, hope, and redemption. The genre has gained popularity
in recent years, with several notable artists and groups emerging from the
South African music scene."
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EXCERPT #2
Fromhttps://brakpanherald.co.za/97689/come-and-clap-and-tap-along/ "Come and
clap and tap along" [no author cited; publishing date: June 27, 2015]
"Come and clap and tap and sing along at the Mmino Wa
Clap 'n Tap (MWCNT) Awards 2015, which will be hosted at Emperors Palace today
(June 27).
[...]
These will be the first national “clap ‘n tap” gospel music awards in the industry’s existence, meant to acknowledge the art and vocal ability found in traditional African gospel music.
Clap-and-Tap music has similarities to both traditional gospel music and choral music, but does not rely on instruments.
It, instead relies on the melody of the vocals and the sound
of clapping hands in a way that creates a fine tune and tempo."...
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The words "does not rely on instruments" doesn't
mean that "Clap & Tap" music is never accompanied by musical
instruments. From what I have observed online, that music may be accompanied by traditional African instruments
and/or by snare drums and brass band instruments.
EXCERPT #3
From
23 Nov 2022 admin@arts By Kabelo Selebogo
"Ikage Arts Foundation, with the support of the Department of
Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation (Acsr), last weekend hosted the Annual
Clap and Tap Indigenous Music Festival at Rustenburg’s Tlhabane Community Hall.
Clap and tap has a long history in the South African
acappella music genre, and its popularity has soared over the years.
The faith-based non-instrumental genre combines vocals and
rhythmic clapping of hands to create angelic melodies.
The Festival ran for over a 12-hour non-stop period,
featuring Mighty Choristers Gospel Choir from Botswana, Motheo Wa Emmanuel
Gospel Choir from Rustenburg, Dinaledi Tsa Tumelo Choir from Moruleng and
Redemption Spiritual Choir from Krugersdorp. The captivating performances got
the energetic crowd singing along to the tunes belted out by the groups.
The hall was packed to the rafters, with a wide audience
from as far afield as Gauteng and Botswana.
Among the audience was Acsr MEC Galebekwe Tlhapi. “Clap and
tap plays a significant role in promoting indigenous languages, culture,
traditional gospel music, and it also uplifts the spirit,” said Mme Tlhapi.
Tlhapi added that the genre should be promoted to be on par
with its counterparts.
“The Department will help ensure that Annual Clap and Tap
Indigenous Music Festival is part of its flagship events.” She left the stage
leading the singing of the popular hymn “Bohang Seema”.
The annual Festival, which now has four main events under
its wing, seeks to raise awareness of the importance of indigenous music. The
event aspires to bring different cultures together in one venue to share and
celebrate different languages in song.”…
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INFORMATION ABOUT ST PITSO SPIRITUAL GROUP
From https://www.facebook.com/groups/1548029382184740/
"We are a Clap 'n Tap choir, based in Bloemfontein, Phs 4.
Maikemisetso a rona ke hofa balatedi ba rona mmimo o
hlabollang moya, rentse re phahamisa Matla le Boholo ba Modimo"
-snip-
Google translate from Sesotho to English
Our aim is to give our followers a spirit that refreshes the
soul, while we exalt the Power and Greatness of God.
-snip-
The St. Pitso Spiritual Group perform this song without any musical instruments.
Throughout the song this group claps different patterns and performs a distinctive standing in place rocking movement. The singing is layered with the soloist (singing over or under the soloist) instead of being a standard call & response pattern like African Americans are familiar with.
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I've posted a description of the choir's appearance (clothing and hairstyles) in the comment section of this post. For the historical and cultural record, please add to or correct this description as well as my description of the singing. Thanks!
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "SENGANANG"
From https://x.com/Noliiie/status/1170799054042882051?lang=en
Bonolo Modise
@Noliiie
“se nkganang se nthola morwalo” is such an important phrase.
God protects us from a lot, so if sa go gana, ska se lwantsha.
4:40 PM · Sep 8, 2019
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Google translate from Sesotho to English:
sa go gana, ska se lwantsha.=” if he refuses, he will not fight”
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INFORMATION ABOUT PHUTHADITJHABA
From https://www.free-state-info.co.za/provinces/town/462/phuthaditjhaba
"Phuthaditjhaba
Geography and history
Phuthaditjhaba is a town situated in the Thabo Mofutsanyana
region of the Free State Province in South Africa. The name of this town is
Sotho and it means “Meeting Place of the Nations”. The ancient San people
called this region Qwa-Qwa which means “whiter than white” because the mountain
peaks frequently had snow on it. Since
apartheid was abolished in the country in 1994, Phuthaditjhaba has become an
energetic town in the Eastern Free State. Its total population is around 60 000
residents.
Accommodation
There is no shortage of tourist accommodation available in
the Phuthaditjhaba area. There are many bed and breakfasts, guest houses,
self-catering units, hotels and camping sites to choose from. For more
information on places to stay in the region, please see our accommodation
directory.
Activities and attractions
There are many interesting activities and attractions in the
Phuthaditjhaba region. The natural surroundings provide many things to do for
those visiting this town.
[…]
Businesses
The business community of Phuthaditjhaba is thriving thanks
to its agricultural industry. There are loads of shops, souvenirs, stalls and
local restaurants for everyone to enjoy. Please visit our business directory
for a complete list of businesses in the area.”…
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Also read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuthaditjhaba and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QwaQwa
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Here's my description of the St Pitso Spiritual Group from that showcased video for the historical and cultural record. Please add to or correct this description as well as my description of the singing. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe photograph and the YouTube video of St Pitso Spiritual Group shows a relatively large group of urban* Black young adult male and females.
*By "urban" I mean "city" as opposed to "rural" or "country/farm" people who aren't up to date with the latest styles or fashions.
The males are dressed in the same or similarly designed blue dashiki- like shirts with white background and multicolored geometric shape designs on the collar, shirt tops, and the cuffs of the shirt sleeves. These designs remind me of the designs that are painted on the outside of Ndebele houses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndebele_house_painting">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndebele_house_painting. My guess is that those geometric shapes have come to represent the nation of South Africa regardless of their origin with the Ndebele people.
The male soloist wears blue pants with his shirt while the other male choir members wear white pants. The men also wear black shoes.
Most of the men are either bald headed or closely shaved. At least one man has his hair in dreads with his front, sides and the back of his hair closely shaved..
The women are dressed with the same blue dresses whose length is a little bit below the women's knees. The dresses have a v shaped white background, multicolored (red, yellow, black, green) design that is the same (what I call "Ndebele") geometric designs. Those designs are found in the dresses' waistline or belt and at the bottom of the women's dresses. All of the women also wear a white head band (narrow scarf) which has those same geometric designs.
The women in this South African music group don't have a "uniform" required hair style.
A considerable number of women in this group have straightened shoulder length hair that is worn straight and not curly. (That hair style could also be wigs.) Some women in that musical group have a pony tail extension/fake straightened hair), and some natural hair styles such as short designed corn rows.
As an African American woman, it appears to me that contemporary urban African American women have a wider choice of hairstyles than these South African women. For instance, I didn't notice any woman wearing their hair in dreads, or in long braids (extensions.) Both types of hair styles are currently common among African American females.) I also didn't notice any women in that choir with red, blond, and/or blue colored hair as is currently somewhat common among African American women of that age.
Unlike what you would probably see in a contemporary African American urban young adult female Gospel choir/group, no woman in this choir had short straightened hair.(by "short" I mean hair above their shoulders). No woman in this music group has what African Americans would call an "afro" regardless of length or width or texture/texturized, or sculptured, or unsculptured-meaning "worn as is", including "twists" [natural hair that is braided and then unbraided and worn "as is". No woman in that group has natural hair with the sides and/or back shaved and no woman in that group was bald headed (Although this is becoming less rare, it's still relatively uncommon among African American women)..
I also noticed that some of the women in this group wore rather noticeable false eyelashes.