In front of a packed auditorium at Howell High School on Oct. 27, the 11-man South African dance troupe Thula Sizwe performed traditional Zulu song and dance, conveying their message of reconciliation and the golden rule to hundreds of students.
The group was brought to Howell free of charge by Stan Koba, supervisor of social studies and the Freehold Regional High School District’s Scholar Center for the Humanities at Howell High School, and William Field, a professor at Rutgers University and a partner in the Pangaea Cultural Exchange LLP, a company started by him and his wife, Susan, to support the group’s tours.
According to Field, this is Thula Sizwe’s seventh tour in the United States and its second under Pangaea Cultural Exchange.
“This is a two-month tour stretching from New Jersey to Massachusetts to Ohio in schools, universities and churches,” Field said.
Thula Sizwe, which means “hush and listen” in Zulu, made its second appearance before Howell High School students as a form of gratitude. In 2005 the group performed for students and recorded an album with Next 2Records, a student run record label sponsored by the Freehold Regional High School District Fine and Performing Arts Academy at Howell High School.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Alfred Letsoalo (top photo) performs with South African dance troupe Thula Sizwe at Howell High School on Oct. 26. In bottom photo, students try to follow Abel Dlamini in a dance routine. Field said Thula Sizwe was formed in 1988 in Pretoria, South Africa, during that nation’s anti-apartheid struggle. The group has been touring the world ever since.
The group performed for Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as the president of South Africa in 1994; with Paul Simon on his Graceland concert tour in South Africa in 1992; and for audiences in Russia, Japan, Europe, Australia and many other nations. The group members have spread a message of reconciliation.
Upon the performers’ return to Howell they brought a special message to the students. According to Field, the group brings the message for students in the sounds of old South Africa. What they convey through their show is peace and remembering the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
“There is also the message of diversity, to inspire the students to learn about the world because it is a cool and wonderful world out there,” Field said.
According to Johannes Magane, who has been a member of Thula Sizwe since 1988, “Our show brings people together. Every time we perform and try to teach our culture they learn a little bit about Africa.”
Ntokozo Zikalala, who joined Thula Sizwe three years ago, shares the same sentiment.
“It feels very good to perform. I feel the music, the spirit and the message in my blood, and I believe the audience feels the same way,” Zikalala said.
Shadrack Mgiba, who has performed with Thula Sizwe for 17 years, simply said, “Sharing my culture and music is my pleasure.”
Freshman Larissa Pfeffer said she enjoyed the performance.
“I really liked the show because it gave you a view of a different culture. The performance showed me how every culture is different, but at the same time how they are inter-related,” Larissa said.
Freshman Cassidy Molina said, “I liked it, it was cool. I don’t know much about Africa at all, so I thought the culture and the dance moves were cool. I am also a singer, so I appreciated all the different harmonies.”
Joe Cantaffa, music production and entertainment technology teacher in the Fine and Performing Arts Academy, worked closely with Thula Sizwe on its untitled compact disc which was recorded with the student run record label Next 2Records.
Cantaffa said he learns something every time the group performs.
“They are great singers and every time they perform it is an opportunity to show my kids when they are recording, when they are performing, that it is more than just singing notes, it is about the meaning behind those notes,” the teacher said. “The spirit and feel of the music was what it was about. Music is more than just notes on a paper. Recording with them and watching them perform was definitely a learning opportunity for us.”
Thula Sizwe will perform at William Paterson University, Wayne, on Nov. 10 at 10 a.m.
According to Field, Thula Sizwe, with musicians from the New Jersey Symphony, is raising money to support the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. All the money raised will go to support AIDS relief and the orphans of AIDS victims in South Africa.