Stepping onstage clad in dramatic traditional attire representing six tribes in South Africa, the Zimbabwean all-female a capella quintet, Nobuntu, stood fiercely for women. Through a 13-song, 90-minute performance, the group, which is largely made up of mothers and wives, covered issues from abuse to marital constraints to childbirth (and a lack thereof). Duduzile Sibanda, a vocalist in the group, which was formed in 2011, explained that Nobuntu’s definition of motherhood is not simply limited to having children.

“[Nobuntu] is an African umbrella term for everything good,” Sibanda said. “So we just decided that since we’re going to be putting up messages on that, we just got to be mothers.”

c/o Werner Puntigam

As the first artists to visit the University for an in-person performance since February 2020, Nobuntu made an incredibly exciting Connecticut debut. Pre-pandemic, the group garnered international acclaim, touring Europe and Canada. In doing so, they spread the influence of mbube, a South African oral tradition on which Nobuntu’s songs are based. While mbube is conventionally passed from generation to generation, Nobuntu’s members also write their own songs. The group is also unique in that it is all-female: mbube was historically a male art form, but after some research, Nobuntu realized women and children had been erased from the narrative.

“When civilization came, the men moved from their homes into the cities,” Sibanda said. “They moved alone, and the women and children were left behind. So now in the city when they did sing as entertainment to themselves, they were remembering their women and children. That’s how mbube went out into the world. But years later, we came into the scene and we’re like ‘Okay, what? How come there’s no female groups doing this?’ And then when we started to research, we discovered that it’s not for men only. It was actually done by everybody. So how has it evolved? We are women, and men have usually done it.”

The group wasn’t just standing and singing for the duration of the show, but dancing, clapping, and occasionally introducing traditional South African instruments into the mix. This incorporation of traditional dance forms and instruments into the show is also an unorthodox part of Nobuntu’s performances.

“We discovered that Southern African traditional dance also hasn’t been discovered that much yet. It’s still something that people do not know much about in the world,” Sibanda said. “So we just decided that we’re gonna factor in a few dances so that we can share it out there to the world. And a bit of instruments, which is the drum and the mbira.”

The group has an entire song in tribute to the mbira, a percussion instrument that consists of metal keys attached to a wooden board that stands erect, praising its sweet sound and the happiness it brings. The mbira, often called the finger harp or thumb piano, emits a pleasant, tingly noise that definitely inspires joy. 

Nobuntu also draws inspiration from more contemporary forms of music as well, including Afro-jazz and gospel.

“You’ll find that it’s 90% mbube with a touch of jazz, because we’re different.” Sibanda said. “And we’re inspired by different things. So you’ll find that the song that’s R&B-inspired, there’s a song that’s reggae inspired, there’s an mbube song that’s jazz inspired.”

Most, if not all, of the songs performed during the show were in major keys, often emitting more positive notes. Through their songs, the artists created interactive spaces with the audience, with many folks clapping along and ululating as the group did. In calling for action in support of serious issues that women face, Nobuntu didn’t aim to preach, but rather to motivate: After one or two songs, members would explain their message, and tell the audience which language—most often Ndebele—had been used.

The stage was rich and vibrant, a blur of black, white, red, green, orange, blue, and gold. Their ensembles were intentional down to the finest details: Sibanda wore an orange jumpsuit, a traditional golden Zulu headdress reserved for queens and married women, and a corset worn by pregnant and married women. The other members wore equally intricate garbs. Through music, dancing, and wardrobe, the audience caught a glimpse of each member’s distinct personality.

Nobuntu delivered a powerful performance, with their message urgent and their rhythm maintaining a consistent energy. Through the several languages spoken throughout the show, the group had one clear theme: to encourage women, young and old, not to tie their identities to motherhood and marriage, to always support each other, and to shine as both individuals and a collective.

Arushi Khare can be reached at akhare@wesleyan.edu.