Ronga Disco?

The last couple of posts have featured musicians from South Africa. Today we hope over the border to Mozambique and veteran performer Xidiminguana. Xidi, as his friends possibly call him (or possibly not), is a marrabenta singer who is now in his early seventies.

Today's tracks come from an album called "Nwa Mungoro", released in 2006 and credited to Vuthu Gaza, Joao Cossa and Xidiminguana. Vuthu Gaza are Xidi's backing band. I have no idea who Joao Cossa is. But it is Xidiminguana you are paying to hear.

"Gijani" - Xidiminguana

"Salani" - Xidiminguana

Regular listeners might fancy they spot some similarities between these tracks - and in particular "Salani" - and our old friend Tsonga Disco. Which is not surprising. Xidiminguana sings in Ronga which, like Tsonga, is one of the Tswa-Ronga group of languages, and Ronga speakers have close historical and cultural links with the Tsonga.

Here is a rather dimly lit clip of Xidiminguana in action in 1986.