Bahlabelelelani – Why Do They Sing?: Gender and Power in Contemporary Women’s Songs

Author:   Nompumelelo Zondi
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
ISBN:  

9781032630601


Pages:   180
Publication Date:   01 December 2023
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

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Bahlabelelelani – Why Do They Sing?: Gender and Power in Contemporary Women’s Songs


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Overview

Indigenous societies, steeped in patriarchy, have various channels through which they deal with abusive characteristics of relations in some of these communities. One such route is through songs, which sanction women to voice that which, bound by societal expectations, they would not commonly be able to say. This book focuses on the nature of women’s contemporary songs in the rural community of Zwelibomvu, near Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal. It aims to answer the question ‘Bahlabelelelani – Why do they sing?’, drawing on several discourses of gender and power to examine the content and purposes of the songs. Restricted by custom, women resort to allusive languages, such as found in ukushoza, a song genre that includes poetic elements and solo dance songs. The songs, when read in conjunction with the interviews and focus group discussions, present a complex picture of women’s lives in contemporary rural KwaZulu-Natal, and they offer their commentary on what it means to be a woman in this society.

Full Product Details

Author:   Nompumelelo Zondi
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Weight:   0.480kg
ISBN:  

9781032630601


ISBN 10:   1032630604
Pages:   180
Publication Date:   01 December 2023
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  General ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: Women’s Songs in a Patriarchal Society 2. A Theoretical Framework for the Analysis of Women’s Songs 3. Popular Songs in African Contexts: An Overview of the Literature 4. The Performance Settings of the Zwelibomvu Women’s Songs 5. Gender and Power in Contemporary Women’s Songs 6. Composition and Circulation of Contemporary Women’s Songs 7. Conclusion: Bahlabelelelani-ke – Why Then, Do They Sing? Appendix Select Bibliography Index

Reviews

‘Seziyosengwa yinkehli! (There is power in a woman’s voice). This inspiring book by a woman writer gives other women a platform to tell their stories in the best African way possible – ngomculo (through music).’ — Boni Zungu, Senior Lecturer: African Languages, University of the Witwatersrand


Author Information

Nompumelelo Zondi is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of African Languages at the University of Pretoria.

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