Madosini

Madosini — "The Veteran," as she is popularly known among the Bundu societies in Mpondoland — is an undisputed Queen: great musician, composer, story-teller and dancer. Her music is extraordinary; unique not just in its scope but in its variety and the range of feelings it evokes. Since she is respected in the playing uhadi (berimbau), isitolotplo (Jew's harp), umrhubhe (mouthbow) and a legend in story-telling, you'll find that she also expresses feelings and thoughts of the ancient life.

Aside from their work with Amampondo, Dizu Plaatjies and Mzwandile Qotoyi also work together as DZM Projects to produce recordings by indigenous artists. Since Madosini is so revered, it's natural that she should become the first among them. Madosini's Power To the Women was released as the first DZM Project in 1997. Madosini has toured the globe with Amampondo, and more recently she attended a series of WOMAD festivals across the world.

Madosini, from the rural Eastern Cape, has entertained audiences world-wide.

Africans are the great educators, dramatists and poets. Their theatres are not confined into one venue; they can be anywhere, no matter the audience or the situation. If you are a music fanatic and considering music to be the food of love, and therefore, human life, human nature and human condition begins in this album, and it continues to the last song, leaving you crying for more.

The presentation of this kind of music should not be seen as the unveiling of the backward forms but the opening of the pot with treasure rich in culture. A point worth making is that we cannot move from the present to the past but we can project our knowledge of the past and share the experiences with the other people.

— Courtesy Calabash Music