Tswana music
Encyclopedia
The Tswana are an African ethnic group
, mostly resident in South Africa
. A minority of this group is found in Botswana
and forms the major ethnic group there. Tswana music is unusual in its lack of drum
ming, and is heavily reliant on string instrument
s and singing.
Some of the instruments used include segaba and setinkane.The segaba is more like a violin
, in the design, but uses only one string hooked to a tin. The setinkane is made with varying forks, and played more like a keyboard.
During the colonial era, Tswana folk music was discouraged because it was considered a hindrance in the proper development of the region and people. Since independence for Botswana, folk music has been revived, though still the most popular music is from elsewhere in Africa (especially South Africa), United States
and Europe
.
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, mostly resident in 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...
. A minority of this group is found in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
and forms the major ethnic group there. Tswana music is unusual in its lack of drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
ming, and is heavily reliant on string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s and singing.
Some of the instruments used include segaba and setinkane.The segaba is more like a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, in the design, but uses only one string hooked to a tin. The setinkane is made with varying forks, and played more like a keyboard.
During the colonial era, Tswana folk music was discouraged because it was considered a hindrance in the proper development of the region and people. Since independence for Botswana, folk music has been revived, though still the most popular music is from elsewhere in Africa (especially South Africa), United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.