(Madosini.
Photo by Justin-Sholk)
The National Arts Festival annually pays
tribute to an artist who has made a significant mark on the country’s arts
landscape and, this year, the fitting recipient of the accolade of Featured
Artist is indigenous musician Madosini Latozi Mpahleni, best known as simply
Madosini.
“Madosini is our national treasure. She has
kept alive the tradition of Xhosa music rooted in oral tradition, in particular
the distinctive sound of the uhadi (music bow), umhrube (mouth bow) and
isitolotolo (Jew’s harp). A musician, composer and storyteller, she also makes
instruments, has performed and collaborated widely, and continues to teach the
body of knowledge she has carried over her lifetime. We are proud to feature
her sonic and cultural legacy at this year’s National Arts Festival,” says
National Arts Festival Artistic Director Rucera Seethal.
As the 2020 Featured Artist, Madosini will
perform in two collaborative performances at the National Arts Festival in
Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), which runs from June 25 to July 5 this year.
Her first will see Madosini performing with members of her traditional ensemble
from Libode; and her second will be a kind of thanksgiving to her supporters
and for her good health. This performance will include her friend Pedro playing
the traditional ixilongo flute as well as various special guest musicians.
Madosini will also present a musical storytelling performance for children and
several bow-playing workshops to arts educators and musicians.
Madosini was born in 1943 in the Eastern
Cape, growing up without formal schooling. She only speaks isiXhosa, though in
many ways she has superseded translation through her musical language.
Madosini has performed internationally for
many years including at WOMAD festivals where she was the first artist to be
recorded and documented as part of their Musical Elders Project. Over the years,
she has performed with renowned artists Ringo, Thandiswa Maswai, Derek Grepper,
Hilton Schilder, Gilberto Gil and many more. The overwhelming support she
received from South Africans during a trip to France in 2019 to facilitate her
safe return home after health issues was testament to the place she occupies in
our national identity and heritage.
Madosini says of the accolade: “Ukuva kwam
ngokuza kwi Festival, kundenze ndavuya kakhulu okwe thole lincanca kunina.
Ukuba bendinendlela ngendivuka ngomso ndiye eRhini. Ndingxamele ukunifundisa
loMrhube nendlela esasiphila ngayo thina endingayivanga ngamntu, ephilwe ndim
lo. Ngoku sasibancinci thina sasingavubisi umphokoqo ngamasi, sasivubisa
ngamavilo,kodwa nina aniwazi amavilo. Ndakunibalisela ukunibona kwam eRhini.” (“Being
told that I’m coming to the Festival has made me happy like a cub feeding from
its mother. If I had my way, I would wake up tomorrow and go to eRhini
(Makhanda). I can’t wait to teach you umhrube and about lived experiences of
our cultural practices that you don’t practise anymore. During my youth we did
not use sour milk for umphokoqo (African salad), we used amavilo, which you
probably don’t know what they are, I will tell you about it when I see you in
eRhini (Makhanda).”)
Nobesuthu Rayi, the National Arts
Festival’s Executive Producer, says: “We are extremely grateful that we will be
given the opportunity to honour Mama Madosini on her own soil and we feel sure
that the people of the Eastern Cape and South Africa will join us in celebrating
this extraordinary woman. Sithi Halala Mama uMadosini, siyababulela abaphantsi
ngawe (We thank the ancestors for your life).”
For more information on the National Arts
Festival, click on the banner advert at the top of this page or visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
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