UMNGQOKOLO - Thembu Xhosa - OVERTONE SINGING filmed
1985-1998 in South Africa
QuangHai Tran, May 17, 2012
All these video recordings were made by Prof.Dr. Dave Dargie
in South Africa from 1985 and 1998 among the Xhosa tribe .
Mrs. Nowxayilethi Mbizweni sings the song "the
Nondel'ekhaya with "ordinary" umnqokolo, umngqokolo ngomqangi and
normal voice .
The trio perform Nondel'ekhaya with "ordinary"
umngqokolo (Nowayilethi tried ngomqangi, but was battling with "flu")
Concert at Ngqoko, 22 march 1996 . Nowayilethi and
Nosomething lead the Ngqoko group with umngqokolo etc.....
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a 2012 YouTube video which documents Xhosa women in 1985-1998 performing "Umngqokolo", a type of overtone singing. These vocal techniques are the same as or similar to what is known as "throat singing".
Some information about "Umngqokolo" is included in this pancocojams post along with selected comments from this showcase video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the women who were filmed in this YouTube example. Thanks to Prof. Dr. Dave Dargie who recorded this singing in South Africa from 1985 to 1998. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
Click -- for the pancocojams post entitled -- that includes some information about these vocal techniques without referring to them as "overtone singing" or "throat singing".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT OVERTONE SINGING
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone_singing
Overtone singing, also known as overtone chanting, harmonic
singing, polyphonic overtone singing, or diphonic singing, is a singing
technique in which the vocalist produces two distinct pitches at the same time.
From a fundamental pitch made by a human voice, harmonic overtones can be selectively amplified through manipulating the dimensions and the shape of the resonant cavities of the mouth and the pharynx.[1][2][3][4]
Overtone singing should not be confused with throat singing, although many throat singing techniques include overtone singing. While overtone singing involves careful manipulation of the vocal tract, throat singing mostly involves the voice source.
[…]
South Africa
Some Thembu Xhosa women of South Africa have a low, rhythmic
style of throat-singing, similar to the Tuvan Kargyraa style, called
umngqokolo. It is often accompanied by call-and-response vocals and complicated
polyrhythms.
-snip-
This brief section is given at the end of longer sections about overtone singing in other parts of the world.
Read comment #15 in this pancocojams post that refers to the tendency of placing Africans last (almost as an after thought) when it comes to positive customs that are found around the world.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT "UMNGQOKOLO" From AI Overview [result of my query What is Umngqokolo?"
Xhosa overtone singing, known as umngqokolo, is a rare and
unique vocal art form practiced primarily by women among the Xhosa people of
the Eastern Cape in South Africa. While throat-singing is widely associated
with Central Asian traditions like those in Tuva, the Xhosa tradition is a
distinct, indigenous African expression of harmonic overtones.
Technique and Sound
- Guttural Bass: Performers tighten their throat muscles to
produce a low, rasping, and resonant fundamental bass tone, which is
acoustically comparable to Tuvan kargyraa throat singing.
- Melody Creation: Singers maneuver their tongues and shape
their mouth cavities to amplify high-pitched harmonic overtones above the low
baseline.
- Instrument Mimicry: The vocal technique acoustically
imitates traditional Xhosa musical bows, specifically the umrhubhe and uhadi.
Cultural Context and Practice
-Communal Performance: Often showcased by groups such as
the Ngqoko Women´s Ensemble, the singing is polyphonic, featuring
call-and-response patterns and complex rhythms.
-Preservation: Documented extensively by ethnomusicologists
like Professor Dave Dargie, this endangered vocal tradition represents a
remarkable cross-cultural parallel in human vocal capability.
-snip-
This AI Overview write-up cites this online source: Source -https://www.oberton.org/en/overtone-singing/styles/south-africa/
That source cites a number of papers by David Dargie, the film maker/recorder of the films that are documented in the 2012 YouTube video about Xhosa overtone singing. Here's an example of one of those papers:
Dargie, David, and International Council for
Traditional Music. Conference. Thembu Xhosa Umngqokolo Overtone Singing: The
Use of the Human Voice as a Type of “Musical Bow” : A Paper Offered for the
I.C.T.M. Conference, Berlin, June 1993. D. Dargie, 1993.
Dargie, David. Xhosa Music : Its Techniques and Instruments, with a Collection of Songs. 1, [Hauptbd.]. Cape Town [u.a.]: Philip, 1988.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF THIS SHOWCASE VIDEO
(with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
A number of these comments are written in Xhosa and are given with their English language translations underneath.
UMNGQOKOLO - Thembu Xhosa - OVERTONE SINGING filmed 1985-1998 in South Africa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYj-55T6Uzs
2013
1. @freegratuits
"Great vid.
Thanks for posting. I saw the
Ngqoko cultural group in concert a few years ago and cried the whole time. One of the best moments of my life. I made sure to meet them afterwards and I
shall never forget it. Side note, Prof
Dargie's Xhosa is fantastic!"
****
2014
2.@jimlotus7889
"I am a throat singer as well :) and once you get used to throat singing it does not hurt anymore, as one learns not to push to hard but to vibrate at a rate that feels good , it actually feels good if you do it the right way, it is very healing and meditative as the vibrations and overtones heal and repair the cells in the body :) namaste;)"
**
3. @jimlotus7889
"I am throat singer and I sing all styles from Tibetan Chant
to Tuvan and when I found this I was blown away by the different styles and how
they were able to get overtones in a different way then the Tuvans and everyone
else:) , especially the one lady who shows us the different styles, she really
gets some good overtones and gutteral chants so I learned to do it myself and I
can tell you I sure love the different overtones I get and the chanting takes
me away, it's really good to me :)"
**
4. @gitarlawyer75
"This is amazing! I had no idea that people in Africa would practice this kind of overtone singing. I had always thought overtone singing was purely Asian."
**
Reply
5. @siyababhotoroshluvuyo8509, 2015
"Ana Luiza Brown you has not heard the Mpondo boys do it."
**
Reply
6. @siyababhotoroshluvuyo8509, 2015
"Ana Luiza Brown that means Mongolians is Xhosa. coz it's said all people come from Africa and Xhosa is Africa. just listen to a Mongolian woman nqgokoling- wow she ngqokoling like crazy"
**
Reply
7. @maedrey753, 2016
"inuit sings too are similar"
**
Reply
8. @Boogieforme, 2017
"Inuit throat singing is a game, rather than actual song. It also not incorporate overtones like Tuvans or Xhosa do :) Very cool too nonetheless!"
**
Reply
9. @B0bChorba, 2019
"Mongolia, Tuva.
Historical records suggests that St Columba (521-597AD) might have sung like this, when he brought all that he brought from the East back to the British Isles, and founded Christianity in Scotland. When he sang, it completely confused the locals, who described his singing like thunder.
To hear contemporary accounts of medieval Welsh traditional singing, before it was banned with the law of execution by the English Queen Elizabeth I, Welsh shamonic singing to the rough-sounding crwth lyre was like "a buzzing bee", much like the singing from the steppes but without with the two tones.
* For the few Americans amongst us: England is one part of the UK, Wales and Scotland are completely different nations with different people and different intentions..!"
-snip-
This is how this comment was given in that video's comment section.
**
Reply
10. @Rosannasfriend, 2019
"There are native Americans and indigenous groups in Canada as well who do this."
**
Reply
11. @Rosannasfriend, 2019
"It's also done in parts of Europe."
**
Reply
12. @fuyunohiya, 2020
"sardians have their own overtone singing tradition as well"
**
Reply
13. @noxolotshabangu8055, 2024
"The world needs to know that we Africans are the birth place of sound/music. Every instrument has it’s genesis on this continent. You will be amazed because everybody thinks we are the last at everything."
**
Reply
14. @Tachy_Bunker, 2024
"It's mostly turkic (not turkish, turkic) peoples, like siberia or altais and central asia khorekteer. But you have some in Japan too, and a form of overtone and undertone singing developed in occidental regions."
**
Reply
15. @noxolotshabangu8055, 2024
"I keep saying that Africans began it all. There’s no sound that is foreign to this continent. Every instrument is born here. It’s just sad that everyone thinks we are the last at everything."
****
2015
16. @ZENZILEMOLO
"South Africa, Eastern Cape...my Home. Xhosa tribe one of the
most prominent tribe, love this ;)"
**
17. @rebs5314
"I miss you mam Nosomething. Rest in Peace mama. I was
fortunate to work with these incredible women from eNgqoko. We traveled the
world, New York, Greece, England, The Netherlands, countless. "
Mamas" that's how we fondly called them. Ndiyanikhumbula bomama bam."
**
Reply
18. @ntombiyakhentese5119, 2023
"Mhakhulu wam Nosomthing Ntese umphefumlo wakhe mawuphumle ngoxolo"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"My grandmother Nosomthing Ntese, may her soul rest in peace."
**
Reply
19. @selwasongelwa8258, 2018
"Are they from Lady Frere?"
**
Reply
20.@profpuffofficial2, 2023
"@selwasongelwa8258 yes"
**
21. @BonisaSiwayi
"wooow! I know these women.... they are still doing their
thing even today.... they are from "Engqoko" a small village next to
LadyFrere/Queenstown in the Eastern Cape.......... they were perfoming in
England in 2008, Ngu daps ka Mr. Mbizweni lo une doek emhlophe (My Grade 9
class teacher)"
**
Reply
22. @lebohanglekhelebane3408, 2018
"I can't find the place "Engqoko" is there any
popular name?"
**
Reply
23. @sakhelentlabezi3170, 2019
"@lebohanglekhelebane3408 lady frere"
**
Reply
24. @sis.sinekhaya, 2019
"Engqoko is a village in Lady Frere, sikhula kusombelwa
kungqungwa ke pha"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"Engqoko is a village in Lady Frere, we grow up surrounded by
trees and bushes."
**
25. @lynch180
" just like mother earth singing... so beautiful and powerful..."
****
2016
26. @ninjacongo
"Absolutely brilliant! Had no idea overtone singing was a thing outside the Mongolian cultural sphere. Where can I hear more of this?
****
2017
****
2018
27.@NestorKornblum
"It was a great honor for me to sing with these women in the
Parliament of World's Religions in Cape Town, 1999. We sang together, my own,
Western style of Overtone Singing and Tibetan and Tuvinian throat singing,
which surprised them enormously as in their Xhosa tribe nly the Women learn
this style of Overtone Singing. It was even more special because we sang in the
Chruch in District Six which was a bastion of Resistance during the Anti-
apartheid struggle."
**
Reply
28. @traskmiguel866, 2023
"Are there any recordings of that event in 1999 I
am so curious in understanding the origins of these styles of singing?"
****
2019
29. @busisiwengoma6114
"Except that first one, the rest sound familiar from when I
was raised in my village. I did not know there was a formal name for the sounds
though"
**
30. @skimanization
"Prof. Dave Gargie, a German, of University of Fort Hare,
Eatern Cape, South Africa, did these recordings when there was no internet,
youtube, etc. but captured the essence of the Xhosa indigenous songs, singing
styles such as "Overtone Singing" or "UMNGQOKOLO" in the
Xhosa language. Some people have heared
these sounds perhaps from Mongoleans but these sounds originate with the
original people, the TWA or SAN or BUSHMEN/WOMEN as they are called by the
whites. In fact the XHOSA people of
South Africa had very close relationships with these people and that is why
their language is very similar to the TWA, using "Click" and
"Throat" harsh sounds that are very difficult for other Africans and
Europeans to imitate unless they grew up speaking or listening to the
language.
As I live in Europe I once
demonstrated the "click" sounds to some of my fellow workers and
students, they were all amazed and asked me "where did we get these sounds,
and could they be expressed in Roman Numerals?". I said YES!...in fact, we the XHOSA we use
Roman Numerals to write our language including the "explosive click and
throat sounds" we make when we speak.
One of them asked me if the children are also required to learn these
difficult sounds, and she thought it's very unfair!!! I said YES, and they always play and compose
music and other games using these sounds, it's like breathing the air in and
out...just like that...none of them feel any difficulty.
When you listen to the TWA or Bushmen/women
music you only here "Clicks and Throat" sounds with many other
multi-phonic background sounds accompanied by complex rhythms. If these sounds and rhythms are difficult for
some of the tribes in Africa, how much more to the Europeans? But in case of
Mongoleans or Chinese using "Throat singing" or UMNGQOKOLO it's clear
that the ancient TWA and black Africans were more than likely to have lived in
their countries and are now silenced or extinct as aborigines. I came across that history of Africans as
aborigines in many European, Asian, and the Americas. What I like about
Prof.Dave Dargie is his curiosity about XHOSA music and for preserving it,
during the times of colonisation and apartheid, and releasing it now on youtube
for the present generation, and that's how I came to hear and know about him
and our XHOSA traditional music at close range.
Thanks."
-snip-
I reformatted this comment from its original one paragraph to increase its readability.
**
Reply
31. @bbl82, 2021
"Thank you for this detailed explanation 🙏🏽My
dad worked at UFH until 1986. My cousin is into Xhosa history/culture. I’ll
definitely pass on your explanation to him."
**
Reply
32. @skimanization, 2021
"@bbl82 My father was born in e Dikeni not far from
Fort Hare University, and myself having born and bred in Cape Town I always
told myself that when I'm old enough I would teach my Xhosa culture, it's
music, it's unique language, and so on.
That's why I'm an international musician and a self made
scholar/historian. Also aware that many
of our great African leaders came from Fort Hare, and therefore I'll be glad to
be associated with that university in the near future. There's a lot of
misinformation and misconceptions about our past relationships with
ABATWA. Most people say we came from the
north and conquered them in South Africa, not knowing that we are the
miraculous ancient children of them, we have a great ancient history of
co-existence and intermarriages. I'd be
more than pleased to discuss or argue this with anybody. I live and work in the UK but always come
back home sometimes. Thanks."
**
33. @tranquanghai
"It was the discovery of throat singing performed by Xhosa women by Dr. David Dargie in 1983 in South Africa."
**
Reply
34. zizisafespace, 2020
"@tranquanghai he did not discover anything, our way of singing has always been prevelant since ancient times. Choose your words accordingly next time"
**
Reply
35. @buhlemlokoti2709, 2021
"@rue8988 So therefore we can say that he made it known to the world, not discovered it. Its the wording that needs to be changed."
**
Reply
36. @buhlemlokoti2709
"@zizisafespace I totally agree Zizipho. One cant discover something that is already there from ancient times."
**
Reply
37.@owezantsi5326, 2023
"@tranquanghai niyasiqhela Nina. Discovery??? Abelunda bayaphapha"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"@tranquanghai you guys are getting away from us. Discovery??? The Abelunda are flying."
-snip-
Read the AI Overview explanation for the phrase "The Abelunda are flying" in the discussion thread for this pancocojams post.
****
2020
38. @lornantsizi3573
"Still watching in 2020!! Ndiyinzalelwane kwaXhosa
ndiyazingca!!!❤❤"
-snip-
"Still watching in 2020!! I am a proud Xhosa native!!!❤❤"
**
39. @KleeTheToppie
"16:42
I had to timestamp
Oooo I feel the vibesss with this, I love it❤❤💯💯"
**
Reply
40. @zukomnukwa1726, 2022
"The best part of the entire"
-snip-
A number of other commenters indicated that the song at that time stamp was their favorite song in this film.
**
41. @mansamusa6505
"Growing up I've always enjoyed it when old women sing like
this, just never new it was throat singing."
42.
"I can't believe how similar the blues sounds to this. It's
clear this musics influences are still present today. This is beautiful"
**
43. @simonmonty7171
"Almost sounded like blues at some point 🤔"
**
Reply
44. @noxolotshabangu8055, 2024
"It is. They were created by the same people, Africans.
There’s nothing that separates us at all."
**
Reply
45. @politonno2499, 2025
"Central and southern african traditional music are one of
the best indigineous music in the world. Some of them are the roots of rock and
roll and blues"
**
46. @enzoluhlelihle4211
"Umhlobo wenene fm is letting us down as a xhosa
nation why they don't play this kind of music interd of playing other cultures
music like zulu music and phondoland music, please umhlobo wenene play us our
own music ndiyanicela"
-snip-
From AI Overview:
"Umhlobo wenene is a national radio station owned by the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation). Its main studio is located in Gqeberha (Eastern Cape), South Africa."...
**
Reply
47.@nolufefentanjana8405, 2024
"Lamarhuxu omhlobo kumnke bonke Abantu zange basiphakamisa isintu pha
bebesicinezela"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"Those so-called friends abandoned us; they never uplifted our people—instead, they oppressed us."
**
Reply
48. @thegoat5141, 2025
"Yoh, Radio2000 and SAFM play more Xhosa music than Umhlobo Wenene. Ndayeka ukumamela umhlobo wenene"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"Yeah, Radio2000 and SAFM play more Xhosa music than Umhlobo Wenene. I stopped listening to Umhlobo Wenene"
**
Reply
49. @GeneralMkhwanazeee, 2026
"Programe director has a boss and they are there for a pay day......"
**
50. @tiffany1717
"Lalah Hathaway the American singer brought me here. She does this. She was teaching the history."
**
51. @mrmister1657
"I hope they can keep this culture alive"
**
Reply
52. @user-ce5yh3zx4v
"@xxTsitsanaxx i should have been more specific.
Unfortunately i grew up in the city and i am yet to see this type of singing."
**
Reply
53. @user-ce5yh3zx4v
"So sad these are my people and we don't practice this kind
of singing anymore".
**
54. @jeromelj1010
"Steven Bantu Biko’s father is from this village, e Ngqoko"
**
Reply
55. @Lindaduba-sf4pu, 2024
"I didn't that Steve Biko is from Lady Frere..
Wow..
Stompie Mavi is from Queenstown yena."
****
2021
56. @gabby3056
"it really seems like something to behold can only imagine
what its actually like bein there clappin with them and appreciating their
rhythm and style"
**
57. @Dve_Svyatyni, 2021
"roots of Hip Hop"
**
58. @elsakristina2689
"I can hear hints of a gospel melody! Maybe it came from the
melodies of this tradition."
**
Reply
59. @mahaliag7488
"Blues, jazz, gospel. Black roots run deep"
**
Reply
60. @noxolotshabangu8055, 2024
"Gospel is a creation of Africans. Why would you think they
are not connected, including jazz."
****
2022
****
2023
61. @siyavuyambuli284
"My people went via the ships and sang the blues."
**
Reply
62. @Guizzexe, 2025
" @siyavuyambuli284 i am so sensitive to this history. And I
think, as an artist from 2025, we are due to thank these people for what they
have created ."
**
63. @anar_0035
"11:40 to 12:23 was a vibe fr"
****
2024
64. @poisonboxingfitness
"Am Xhosa and am in South Africa but, you won't believe how
greatful I am of these videos and lessons to learn. 🎉"
**
65. @khalemomohlafuno44
"This is AmaXhosa in Lesotho
In South Africa they don't sing like.this"
**
Reply
66. @noxolotshabangu8055
"@khalemomohlafuno44
You are so wrong. Where do you think Madosini comes from? Please do tell
untruths about our culture, if you don’t know it’s better to be quiet. Please.
This music exists through out the Greater Cape Province."
**
Reply
67.@MrUtnab
"@khalemomohlafuno44 that is a lie. These are women of Ngqoko in
the Eastern Cape. That is the only village that still has Umgqokolo."
68.
"Those woman would sing me into a trance 😭😭"
**
69. @sakhematiti4513
"I always cry every time I listen these grandmas singing..
the remind my grandma ❤️❤️😭😭😭"
**
70. @lumkilentetha
"Growing up as a Xhosa boy in the mountains of Quthing,
Lesotho, I have always believed that our strong Xhosa culture continues to
thrive here, even to these days. It brings me joy to see that the same kind of
music was sung by Xhosa people in South
Africa. The girls used to sing these songs "Ejakeni",
"Emchochweni" nase "sejandweni" . Amakhwenkwe oona echocha"
Reply
71.
"Kumnandi uva nase Lesotho nisibambile isiXhosa"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"It's nice to hear that Lesotho is holding Xhosa"
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: Here's my standard English translation for that Xhosa sentence:
"It's nice to hear that Xhosa people living in [the nation of Lesotho] are still carrying on Xhosa traditions.
****
72.@gugulethuthwala4406
"😭
I'm Zulu from KZN, I dreamt of ds people singing for me and I was dancing
differently, bengithi ngiphupha izinto zami ezingekho" .
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"😭 I'm Zulu from KZN, I
dreamt of people singing for me and I was dancing differently, I thought I was
dreaming of things that didn't exist."
**
Reply
73. @TaLloyd5, 2025
"Just shows ukuthi singabantu banye izingane zikamnguni"
-snip-
Google translate from Xhosa to English:
"Just shows that we are all the same people, children of the
same god."
****
2025
74. @keketsomega8358
"Thembu guys who go to the mountain song like that"
**
75.@RainyBoi-g2v
"One of the best throat singers"
2026
76. @j.vizgirdaitė
"My parents are Lithuanian and the group singing reminds me
of sutartinés, a melody will invoke itself while the singer changes to a
different melody"
**
77. @keketsomega8358
"Bantu spirituality. Its called ubungoma or Ngoma. Healing
though music"
**
78.@MlungisiNonkonyana-py9wh
"Thanks to whosoever showcased this masterpiece I as a Xhosa
nation we owe you an honor this is what I call investigative research and offcourse without being bias or
derogatory thanks for such an exhibition"
****
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