Kwela music is a type of South African Jazz that originated in the townships and is often characterized by the
pennywhistle, a cheap flute long used in traditional
African music. A Zulu word,
kwela means
get-up and became a slang term to describe the police vans that would raid the shebeens (
illegal bars). The people would shout "
Kwela-
Kwela," warning the people to get up and run. The word is also used as an invitation to "get-up " and dance.
This group,
Mafikizolo, combines the old
Kwela sounds with more modern influences. More and more, you can see the influence of American hip-hop in township music today. This song leans toward the traditional side, with the video depicting a story of the old racial divisions.
Oh, and I really the dig the band members' outfits.