Maskanda is a kind of Zulu

Zulu music

The Zulu are a South African ethnic group. Many Zulu musicians have become a major part of South African music. A number of Zulu-folk derived styles have also become well-known across South Africa and abroad.-Mbube and Isicathamiya:...

 folk music

Folk music

Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 that is evolving with South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n society. Ethekwini Online describes it as "The music played by the man on the move, the modern minstrel, today’s troubadour. It is the music of the man walking the long miles to court a bride, or to meet with his Chief; a means of transport. It is the music of the man who sings of his real life experiences, his daily joys and sorrows, his observations of the world. It’s the music of the man who’s got the Zulu blues."

Nowadays this is untrue in as much as it is no longer just the domain of men. African women - notably Busi Mhlongo

Busi Mhlongo

Busi Mhlongo , born as Victoria Busisiwe Mhlongo, was originally from Inanda in Natal, South Africa, Busi Mhlongo was considered by many to be a virtuoso singer, dancer and composer whose music defies categorization....

 - are also making maskanda music.

Instrumentation and traditions

Maskandi is played on cheap, portable instruments, or modern instruments tuned or produced to imitate the polyphonic sounds of the old instruments. Traditionally, a maskandi muso had one song, a long one that evolved as the story of the musician's life grew. Now albums may contain the usual 10-14 tracks, which though they are still way over the three minute mark, are easier for non-"world music" audiences to digest.

Musical style

Maskanda is distinguished by an instrumental flourish that sets the tone at the beginning of each song, picked guitar style, and rapidly spoken sections of Zulu praise poetry, called "izibongo". The content is not always praise, though, and with pop, house and other influences colouring maskanda, it has become more about the storytelling ethic and the modern migrant culture, than simply about the musical style.

Prominent Maskandi musicians

• Amashayina Amahle
• Phuzekhemisi
• Phuzushukela (deceased)
• Ikhansela  (deceased)
• Bhekumuzi Luthuli (deceased)
• Mfazomnyama (deceased)
• Shwi No Mtekhala
• Izingane ZoMa
• Shiyani Ngcobo
• Imithente
• Inkunzi Emdaka
• Ihhash'Elimhlophe
• Shophi Ngidi
• Mgqumeni (deceased)
• AmaGez'Amahle
• Mtshengiseni Gcwensa
• Uboneni
• Thokozani Langa
• Thwalofu
• Amabayeni Amahle
• Ithwas Lami
• Bhoja Bhoja(deceased)
• ABAFANA BAKWA DLADLA
• [Amatshitshi Amhlophe] (deceases)
• [Umahawukela] (deceased)
• [Umbuzeni]
• Njencane Ngubane
• Sbongiseni Ntombela (deceases)