Hello Sounding Out families
I hope you have had a good week and have managed to take your instruments back into school for collection.
This week I’ve been thinking about the pieces we performed in our Saturday Jam sessions. We had a lot of fun learning BHOMBELA and passing the sticks around the circle! BHOMBELA is a traditional game from South Africa with lyrics in Zulu. Like most traditional songs, the lyrics change over time and from area to area. These are the lyrics we used in our version.
Bhombela
Bhombela westimela
Bhombela
Bhombela westimela
Umama wenzani
Evusa Bantwana
Umama wenzani
Evusa Bantwana
Maybe you could still play it with your friends in your class using pencils at school?
LISTEN. Here is a performance by a young American choir that includes some different rhythms and some harmonies too. I really like the ending!
LISTEN. Here’s another performance that uses only sticks (but slightly bigger ones!). This is a group from Brighton called STOMP, who created an international hit show using everyday objects like brooms, sinks and buckets to create amazing rhythms.
Have a listen to how they change the DYNAMICS at around 35 seconds and how they change the PITCH at 2:05 by letting go of the sticks while they hit them.
I would LOVE to see any recordings of you performing BHOMBELA with your friends!
Have a great week
Jemma