Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa. Percival Kirby
and amafohlwane signify ankle-rattles made from different materials. The first certainly means the cocoon-rattles, since the word umfece is primarily the cocoon of a certain caterpillar.
Captain Allen Gardiner15 described the making of the umfece by the Zulu, although he neither gave the name of the instrument nor classed it among the musical instruments which he described. The occasion was a grand dance given at Umgungundhlovu, the seat of the Zulu chief Dingaan, in the early part of 1835.
For two or three days previously, a number of boys had been assembled, to collect very small pebbles, which were afterwards placed within the vacant cocoon of a winged insect of the beetle kind, striped yellow and black, frequently adhering to the Mimosa (Acacia karroo, var. Nataliten) trees; several of these strung together were worn at the ankles by the dancers, and made a jingling noise, which was not unpleasant.
Dancing-rattles of a similar type were also made and used by the Swazi.
The Pondo ankle-rattle, called amahlahlazo, consists, like the amafohlwane of the Zulu, of beautifully woven boxes of ilala palm-leaf, containing small stones, and threaded on cords. A specimen is shown in Figure 1.8.
Among the Sotho of Basutoland, ankle-rattles, called morothloane, are used, although they are becoming scarce. They are made from leather prepared from goatskin. Pieces of this leather are sewn up into little bags, each of which contains a few small stones. The bags are then secured to bands of leather by which they may be fastened round the ankles of the dancer. This instrument is shown in Figure 1.9.
Figure 1.8. Pondo ankle-rattles made from palm-leaf. Photograph by W. P. PAFF.
Casalis (1835) noted the morothloane and described them thus:16 ‘To increase the pleasure they [the Basutos] find in the regular movements of the hands and feet during the dance, they hang about their persons garlands composed of little bags, each containing one or two small stones. The leather, as it gets dry, becomes stiff and slightly sonorous.’ Casalis17 also described another type of rattle as ‘an ornament for the head, which is worn as a sort of top-knot; to the cords of which it is composed are attached hoofs of the antelope, which, in the dance, make a noise resembling that of castanets’.
Figure 1.9. Sotho (Bas.) ankle-rattles made from goat-skin. Photograph by W. P. PAFF.
There seems to me to be little doubt that the morothloane of the Sotho of Basutoland, the dichela of the Pedi (Transvaal Sotho), and the mathlo of the Chwana are one and the same instrument. The scarcity of trees in Basutoland, however, made it impossible for those Sotho who had settled there to obtain an adequate supply of suitable cocoons with which to make their ankle-rattles, and consequently they were obliged to devise imitations, for which they used goatskin. It is possible that this may also explain the ‘pods’ alluded to by Burchell (vide supra, p. 4). The effect of the paucity of trees in Basutoland upon other types of musical instruments will be noted later.
I have been told in Basutoland that rattles made from fruits or of bladders were in use, but I have been unable to trace specimens of either variety. It is certain, however, that witch-doctors of several races did at one time wear inflated gall-bladders on their heads as ornaments, and these would possibly rattle as the wearer danced. They are mentioned by a number of the early writers.
The Xhosa dancing-rattles, as used to-day, are quite different in character. The principal variety consists of a number of dry gourds which are fastened round the waist of the dancer and rattle as he moves. They are called imiguza. Another type is the isikunjane, which at the present time consists of a small tin containing a number of pebbles or small pieces of a broken pot. Small holes are made on the under side of the tin, and the mouth is closed to prevent the stones from dropping out. The player ties the isikunjane to his legs immediately below his knees with a strong cord, and, by raising or lowering his knees in various ways, he produces a rhythmic music. This is not accompanied by any kind of singing, but as the player dances about, the other boys follow in their steps the rhythm suggested by the rattling of the stones in the tin. I have been informed that the Xhosa also had ankle-rattles, called amanqashele, made from goatskin. These are said to have been used by the abakweta (vide p. 28) boys when dancing. It is possible that they were derived from the Sotho, but I am unable to prove this, as no specimen could be procured.
Rattles which are not fixed to the body but held in the hand and shaken in definite rhythm are found among several of the races inhabiting the northern and eastern districts of South Africa. Their form and use point to their having been derived from the Thonga.
The Thonga instrument is called ndjele. It consists of an oval calabash, about six inches long, with holes burned through top and bottom, through which a slightly tapered stick, about a foot in length, is thrust to serve as a handle. Through a hole in the protruding tip of the stick a thin peg of wood is pushed, to prevent the calabash from working loose. A few small stones are placed inside the calabash before the instrument is ‘assembled’, and small holes are burned in the sides of the calabash to secure greater resonance, these usually being arranged in some fairly definite pattern. Two Thonga specimens are shown in Figure 1.10, Nos. 1 and 3; a third Thonga example, procured in Bavendaland, is seen in Figure 1.10, No. 2. A Thonga performer, holding the instrument, is seen in company with two players of the mantshomane, a Thonga drum, in Figure 2.21. The ndjele is used, with the mantshomane, in the exorcism of evil spirits which are supposed to possess certain unfortunate individuals. The system of exorcism is described on page 56-57.
The Tshopi use a similar instrument, and it is frequently seen accompanying the timbila (xylophone) ensembles in Johannesburg mine compounds, where it is generally fashioned from a tin, which is mounted on a handle, filled with stones, and perforated with holes, in the same manner as its calabash prototype.
Figure 1.10. Hand rattles. 1, 2, 3, 5, Thonga; 4, 7, Venda; 6, 8, Venda children’s rattles. Photograph by W. P. PAFF.
Figure 1.11. Venda dancing-skirt made from reeds. Photograph by W. P. PAFF
The Venda, whose territory adjoins that of the Thonga, possess the same instrument, and put it to the same use as that race (vide p. 56). They even call it by the same name, tsele. In the Venda ceremonies for exorcizing evil spirits there is a special official, called maine vha tsele, or the diviner of the rattle, who, having been formerly possessed by a spirit, is sent for to confirm the diagnosis of the medicine-man. This diviner is responsible for singing the special malombo song of exorcism, accompanied by a drum-player who is familiar with the particular rhythms used for casting out spirits. A full description of this ceremony is given by