Mbilamutondo music and instruments in Venda culture

Abstract

There is a decline in the performance and promotion of one of the significant African cultural heritage components, "Mbilamutondo" music. This heritage is facing possible extinction, and its disappearance may spell the death of one of Vhavenda’s religious rituals and indigenous spiritual healing processes. Recent research into indigenous African knowledge systems has led me to interesting conclusions: while "Mbilamutondo" is an indigenous Venda instrumental musical practice, there are no more practitioners of this heritage, and there are no learners who could continue the practice. Tshivenda indigenous mbila music ("Mbilamutondo") performance is quite different from that of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Whereas Zimbabwe and Mozambique still have many practitioners of this heritage, presently a practitioner of the Venda repertoire and style is yet to be found. Venda "Mbilamutondo" music’s continued existence can, therefore, not be guaranteed. This study has also discovered that there is more to "Mbilamutondo" than just music. An aspect worth documenting and investigating is the trees that have contributed more to "Mbilamutondo" than just the building of a musical instrument. The aim of [this] article is to highlight the significance of these "Mbilamutondo" music instrument-making trees, to promote an appreciation for this heritage, and to encourage young people to become active in conserving such [a] valuable heritage. The article also explores some intervention strategies that may thwart this heritage’s possible disappearance.

Muzika wa Mbilamutondo na zwilidzo kha sialala la Vhavenda. Hu khou vhonala hu na u fhungudzea huhulu kha vhubveledzi na thuthuwedzo ya tshinwe tsha zwilidzo zwa kale na kale zwi divheaho na u thonifhiwa kha la Afrika, Mbilamutondo. Heli sialala li khou vhonala li tshi khou mbwandamela. U ngalangala halo zwi amba u lovha ha manwe a maitele a vhurereli ha sialala ya Vhavenda iyi ndila ya vhurereli ndi manwe a maitele a phodzo ya muya. Kha thodisiso dzanga ndo tama u bvukulula zwa maitele a sialala ya vharema vha Afrika nda wanulusa zwi tevhelaho: A hu tshee na vhalidzi na vhagudiswa vhane vha nga isa phanda maitele a ili sialala la ndeme. Kulidzele kwa mbila dza Tshivenda (Mbilamutondo) kwo fhambana na kula kwa vha Zimbabwe na Mozambique. Naho vhalidzi vha mbila dza Zimbabwe na Mozambique vha tshe hone, vha Vhavenda vhane vha nga lidza Mbilamutondo nga ndila ya Tshivenda a vha tsheeho. Zwenezwo-ha, u ri Mbilamutondo dza Tshivenda dzi do di dzula dzi hone zwi a timatimisa. Zwinwe zwe hedzi thodisiso dza zwi tumbula ndi zwauri mathina miri i shumiswaho kha u fhata Mbilamutondo i na zwinwe zwine ya thusa khazwo nga nnda ha u bveledza tshilidzo. Ndivho ya hei atikili ndi ya uri vhathu vha divhe nga ha ndeme ya miri ine ya shumiswa kha u fhata itshi tshilidzo, na u tutuwedza vhaswa u ri vha thuse kha u vhulunga sialala la ndeme ngaurali. Heyi atikili i dovha hafhu ya todisisa ndila dzine dza nga shumiswa kha u thivhela uri sialala ili li songo ngalangala.