Unless you happen to be an ethnomusicologist, you're probably unfamiliar with the term isicathamiya. But chances are, you're more familiar with it than you think.
Isicathamiya ( it's a mouthful, isn't it? ) is a traditional a capella harmony, which comes from the Zulu, tracing its origins back to the harmonizing of mine workers. If it still doesn't sound familiar, it's the musical style of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the a capella troupe that performed with Paul Simon on his Grammy award-winning album Graceland.
This unique South African group will perform at Oberlin on Monday. Internationally acclaimed for their energy and spirited blend of traditional movement and song, the performance is sure to shake things up in Finney. After all, they've already proven their ability to bring the house down, no matter what the occasion is - their performances have included the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and the 1994 inauguration of South African President Nelson Mandela.
Ladysmith is a success of their own accord, outlasting the repressive apartheid government and garnering six Grammy nominations, sans Paul Simon. Their most recent album, Heavenly, expands their reach to American gospel music.
The idea for Ladysmith came to Joseph Shabalala, the group's creator and director since 1964, in a dream. Perhaps this accounts for their dreamlike quality of their creation. But really, how can you explain the power of music like this? Come Monday, just sit back and enjoy.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs on Monday, Mar. 2 in Finney Chapel. Tickets are available for $10 at CTS.
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 16, February 27, 1998
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