South+African+Music+and+film

= South African music and film: =

South African music is very diverse, from their national anthem, //"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"//, to rap, they cover pretty much everything within modern day music, while staying true to their roots, by bringing their own touch of native music into modern rock and rap.

South African films are as in any other country,very varried. There are many historical movies, like //"Invictus"//. Comedy also had great success in South Africa, especially //"Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past"//.

=National Anthem=

The national anthem of africa, since 1997, is a hybrid song between new english lyrics,extracts from the african song "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", and the old anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika". The national anthem is unique because it has 5 different languages, all in one.

"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontaga, a methodist school teacher. "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" poem was written in 1918 by C.J. Langhoven.

media type="youtube" key="qXKur2FAN7g?fs=1" height="385" width="480" //The National anthem: "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"//

=Music= They have pretty much the same genres as any other country, but when we hear africa, we think of their native music. The most popular genres are POP and Rock, some heavely influnced by African natives, while others are in the same style as we have here in Europe. media type="youtube" key="5WomtZdCCv8?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

=//Nativemusic//= Native african music is mosty made by drums, flues and singing. They use different types of drums, for example waterdrums. Here you see a Djembe hand drum They also have different types of rattle and shake instruments, like a bambo with big seeds in it. They also use foodsticks to make high rythmic tones. The singing is following the rythm, The musicians have a realy good ear for rythm. They never come out of rythm and its acctualy very nice to listen to. Often is the singing done by women, one stands in the middel and have the others around her in a circle. //Different kinds of instruments//

= Famous artists and Directors =

Lucky Philip Dube – Singer (reggae) One of the best selling musical artists of South Africa. His album //Victims(1993)// sold over a million copies world wide. The complication album //Serious Reggae Business (1996)// led him to be named “ // The best selling African recording artist”. //

Shaun Morgan Walgemoed – Singer (post grunge/alternative rock) Lead singer, and rhythm guitarist, of the successful band seether

Cliff Simon – Actor Most famous for his portrayal of Ba'al in Stargate SG-1

Arnold Vosloo – Actor Known for playing the title role in //The Mummy (1999)// and its sequel //The mummy returns (2001)//. He has also played a South African mercenary in the movie //Blood Diamond,// a terrorist in //24,// and Zartan in the film // G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra. //

Gavin Hood – Director Most famous for the academic award winning foreign language film // Tsotsi (2005). // He is also a director in the movie // X-men Origins : wolverine. //


 * Shamim Sarif - writer and director**

//The world unseen// is the most popular of two films she has written and directed, based on her own novel. Shamim got a director-award for it. She have also written several novels.

=South African movies:=

**Tsotsi:**
The movie Tsotsi is about a young boy, named David. His mother is dying from terminal disease, and runs away from his abusive father, and ends up living with a couple of other children in some construction pipes. A few years later, he becomes the leader of a gang, and now goes under the name Tsotsi. After getting involved in a murder, he gets into a fight with his friend boston, who gets badly injured from the fight.

Later on Tsotsi tries to steal a car, but almost get stopped by Pumla, a young woman. He shots her and drives away, only the find that there is a 3 months young baby in the backseat. He strips the car for valuables, and takes the baby to his shack.

Pumla survived the attack, and works with the police to make a sketch of Tsotsi.

The rest of the movie is about Tsotsi's quest to help the baby, and in the end, try to locate the baby's parents.

Mr bones 2: Back from the Past
Mr Bones 2 takes place in 1879, and is about Bones, the great grandfather of the Bones in the first film. The King of Kuvukiland, named Hekule, is given a gemstone by the dying Kunji Balanadin. The stone is cursed, and causes Hekule to become possessed by the spirit of Kunji. It is up to Mr. Bones to cure his king by traveling 130 years into the future, in the city of Durban.

Mr bones 2 surpassed Mr bones 1, becoming the most financially successful movie of South Africa.

Invictus
Invictus is a biographical drama film made from events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The film is Directed by Clint Eastwood, the famous actors in the film are Morgan Freeman as President Nelson Mandela, Matt Damin as Frencois Pienaar witch is the captain of the Springboks, the South African Rugby union team. The story is based on the book Playing the Enemy.