Traditional music and dance
As each ethnic group has its own musical traditions, it is rather easy to draw a musical map of Namibia. In the north, a territory made up of mainly rural areas, music often fulfills a function of social activity. For example, among the Ju'/hoansi - the San - there are particularly impressive healing songs in which the voices are accompanied by an ensemble of drums and hand clapping. In the same region, the ondjongo, the Himba wedding dance, is also practiced, accompanied by strong hand clapping and characterized by its complex rhythms. In the central regions, where the capital Windhoek is located, one can hear boeremusiek, Afrikaner ball music (a remnant of the colonial era), also present in South Africa and notably played on the concertina (a kind of accordion). Among the Nama communities, the Nama Stap dance is established as a traditional practice essential to their identity. Performed in a circle and calling for slippery and floating steps, the nama stap is a very courteous and pleasant practice to observe. Finally, among the Herero, it is customary for women to sing and dance the outjina during wedding ceremonies. As for instruments, most ethnic groups accompany their traditional songs with percussion instruments such as drums, kalimba (thumb piano), harps or otjihumba, a mouth bow held between the teeth and struck with a wooden stick.
An excellent way to get a broad overview of Namibian traditional music is to listen to the recordings of the University of Namibia Choir, which is renowned for its interpretations of Namibian traditional music in different languages. A small local success that has allowed the choir to participate in several festivals around the world and thus highlight Namibian music. Otherwise, when visiting the country, traditional dances and music often accompany the evenings in camps such asEtosha Safari Camp, located 10 km from Anderson Gate, orOnkoshi, nestled inside the Etosha Park.
Popular music
Popular music styles also vary according to ethnicity and region. For example, among the Herero people there is oviritje, inspired by traditional music and sung in Otjiherero. Originally vocal, oviritje was modernized in the 1960s by Kareke Henguva, a great innovator who introduced the keyboard. After him, the genre was popularized by groups such as The Wild Dogs and their hit Kaondeka and then by Bullet ya Kaoko, a group from Opuwo who gave it a new lease on life by infusing it with the groove of kwaito (South African rap). Another popular genre, ma/gaisa - better known as damara punch - is a music derived from the damara tradition and mainly sung in khoekhoegowab. Phura Duwe, the inventor of the genre, is considered the de facto king of ma/gaisa. Other beloved artists in this category are Stanley, Dixon and Damara Dikding. Finally, among the Oshiwambo-speaking people, shambo is the dance music par excellence. Created in the late 1990s by Yoba Valombola, Setson and their group Mighty Dread Band, the genre mixes traditional Oshiwambo music - at the time widely popularized by guitarists like Kwela or Kangwe Keenyala - with other Namibian styles and sings of love, war, peace, unity, respect... One of the great innovators of the genre was Kwiku, renowned for his mix of shambo and kwassa kwassa.
Shambo, like the styles mentioned above, are presented from time to time on the stage of the Franco-Namibian Cultural Center. This cultural place of sharing and learning also offers exhibitions and concerts, an opportunity to hear good Namibian bands.
Current music
Less known than its South African neighbor, the Namibian contemporary music scene is nevertheless vibrant. We could explore it via the career of Gazza, a hyper-popular artist in Namibia (he is part of the sales records), whose music combines the most listened to and played genres in the country such as kwaito, reggae or hip-hop. The first one, kwaito, is a South African import, a kind of hypersyncopated hip-hop from the townships of Johannesburg, full of house and bass. In Namibia it has found its own form, more party-oriented than its South African cousin. The trio Matongo Family is considered the pioneer of kwaito in the country after having introduced it in the late 1990s. After them, big names like The Dogg and EES helped make kwaito a national hit.
Almost as popular as rap, hip-hop has grown in the country, driven by youth who find it a vehicle to convey their messages. Among the most recommendable are Jericho, one of the most beloved and well-known MCs, Shikololo, an indigenous rapper, and the group Black Vulcanite, which is very well known for its messages and videos. To conclude this top three, reggae is also one of the most listened to styles in Namibia. Introduced in the 1970s, the genre quickly found its local icons such as Ras Sheehama joined later by artists like Petu and Ngatu.
On the pop and folk side, rising star Shishani is slowly making a name for herself on the international scene with her blend of African-American and African musical traditions, and Elemotho, a musician and "musical activist" (as he puts it) who is taking the tradition into new territory and has collaborated with such luminaries as Youssou Ndour, Erykah Badu and The Wailers.
Not surprisingly, musical activity is particularly concentrated in Windhoek. There is an interesting festival, the /Ae //Gams Arts and Cultural Festival, in June or September, which converts the city into a temple of contemporary culture, and a few stages such as Club London, which is quite trendy and programs everything - kizomba, electro, hip-hop, pop, rock, etc. -, or The Wolfshack, which is the most popular. -or The Wolfshack, a good place for concerts.
