Casting the festival net wi
No. It’s a long, long story of historical contingency. What I’m saying is that there has been a long history, through missionary schooling, through colonialism, that has informed what people regard as the voice of discipline to aspire to.
Some of that expresses itself in our churches. When you go to the old Apostolic Church you get that sense of the four-part harmony, singing in declamatory style. That’s exactly what the baroque is. That’s exactly what the chorus in the opera does.
So I’m saying it’s a historical link, and it links to our history of missionary schooling and colonialism. It’s pre-apartheid. It’s old. I’m saying it links to the liberation movement. All the liberation movement stalwarts were people who were reported to have been opera lovers at some point because they were listening to it on the radio, they were being asked to join choirs at societies at school. People like Govan Mbeki talk about The Igoda festivals during Africa Month, which commemorates the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity on May 25 1963, are taking place across Southern Africa.
“Igoda” means “knot” in Zulu and symbolises five art and music festivals tied together in an inter-regional exchange to promote arts development financially, logistically, socially and politically.
The circuit originated in 2007 when Bushfire in Swaziland and Bassline Africa Day in Johannesburg began sharing musical performances. This collaboration reduced costs and increased artist mobility.
The early successes of the Swaziland/Johannesburg cultural corridor led Igoda festival circuit founder Jiggs Thorne to approach the Sakifo Festival on Réunion. “Sakifo”, a creole term meaning “what you need”, was started in 2004 by Jérôme Galabert in the coastal town of Saint-Leu.
Next to join the circuit was Maputo’s Azgo Festival, founded in 2011 by Paulo Chibanga, drummer for the band 340ml. Durban joined the circuit in 2015 with the Zakifo Festival, founded with Sakifo, Native Rhythms Records’ Sipho Sithole and publisher Andy Davis.
The inclusion of a Durban leg completed the triangle of co-operation between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland.
This triangle rests on an intergov- Yes. They are all important for they suggest mood and tone and modality. I will (primarily) be using the piano. It is the instrument that is generally used for four-part harmony accompaniment in the chordal movement.
I will also be using some traditional instruments that I collect from other parts of the continent, some Egyptian flutes, Ethiopian lutes and bowed instruments, and I probably will also ernmental arts, culture and heritage exchange known as the East3route.
Pan-African circuit
Damien Marley, youngest son of Bob Marley, is headlining both the Sakifo and Zakifo festivals as part of an extensive five-stop tour up the east coast of Africa from Durban to Kenya and Ethiopia and to the islands of Mauritius and Réunion, .
More festival destinations will probably join the Igoda Festival circuit in the future. Neighbouring countries Zimbabwe, with its Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), and Botswana, are also interested in participating.
There is a long-term vision to use the template Igoda to replicate festivals in East, West and North Africa.
Thorne said: “When each region develops its block, it solidifies and strengthens the industry through the creation of networks. This generates interest, brings in acts and facilitates regional exchange and sponsor-partner engagements.”
Brad Holmes, founding director of the Bassline Africa Day festival, started the Bassline jazz club in Melville that operated between 1994 and 2003. It showcased the power of jazz music to break social barriers and change the way people thought. A forthcoming book, Last Night at the Bassline, details the story of the Bassline jazz club and will be released on June 8.
Holmes said: “Today, Igoda is the pioneer. It is the next really great thing. It is growing and spreading. And we are giving audiences around the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region content they might not have necessarily seen.”
Festival on fire
A focus of the Igoda Festival circuit is the development of local talent. The 2017 Bushfire programme is 40% local, bringing 11 Swazi acts to the main stage. A year-round feeder programme, Road to Bushfire, develops local talent at the House of Fire venue. Established Swazi performers include Afro-pop musician Bholoja and producer Mozaik, who performs with Siyinqaba. Exciting newcomers are Sands and Flameboy Universe.
Bushfire is a leader in balancing economic benefits with social upliftment. The R5-million revenue from ticket sales generates in effect six times the amount for Swaziland’s creative economy.
The festival is a leader in innovation and sustainability, including ini-
Emphasis is placed on raising social consciousness and changing people’s attitudes to encourage positive change