Explore Isicathamiya on Josplay Music The traditional call-and-response technique. During performances, the lead vocalist initiates a phrase or line, and the rest of the choir responds with a harmonized refrain. Choreography also plays a significant role in Isicathamiya performances. The intricate footwork and dance moves executed by the singers enhance the overall artistic experience
Originating from the Zulu people, Isicathamiya has become an integral part of South African musical culture, enchanting audiences with its unique style and cultural significance. The genre succinctly and beautifully captures the essence of its performances, where singers showcase choreographed footwork and graceful movements to accompany their singing.
Influenced By: Mbube
At its core, isicathamiya is a performance-driven genre developed by Zulu migrant workers, especially in mining compounds and hostels. These workers adapted indigenous elements such as the Ingoma dance—a powerful, stomping group dance—and combined them with Western harmonies learned through Christian hymns and mission schooling. This mix of local and foreign influence shaped the distinct style of isicathamiya, marked by soft foot movements, complex harmonies, and choreographed singing.
It’s often compared with an earlier genre called mbube. While both are performed a cappella by all-male groups, mbube tends to be louder and more forceful, while isicathamiya is softer, more harmonic, and more tightly arranged. Group sizes can vary from as few as four members to more than twenty. The typical vocal structure reflects four-part harmony like in church music, with a strong emphasis on bass voices and a lead tenor. The lead often sings a melodic line while the chorus responds in rhythm, forming a call-and-response cycle that creates texture and movement.
Performers often wear coordinated suits, white gloves, and shiny shoes, taking pride in their polished appearance. Movements are light, often done on the tips of their toes—hence the name “isicathamiya,” from the Zulu word cathama, which means "to walk lightly" or "tread softly." These movements, rooted in stealth and grace, are said to have originated from a time when migrant workers danced quietly at night to avoid disturbing hostel security guards.
The songs themselves reflect the lives of the performers. Early isicathamiya songs spoke about homesickness, life in the mines, and the emotional toll of separation from families. The music gave migrant workers a way to stay connected to their roots while adapting to the hardships of urban life. These weekend performances also served as informal competitions, where different groups would challenge each other in singing battles that lasted through the night.
One of the earliest groups to gain international attention was Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds. Though their hit song “Mbube” falls under the mbube category, it helped bring attention to South African vocal traditions. The song was later reworked into “Wimoweh” and then the global hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Decades later, Ladysmith Black Mambazo would become the global face of isicathamiya when Paul Simon featured them on his Graceland album in 1986.
Historically, the evolution of isicathamiya was also influenced by minstrel-style performances known locally as isikhunzi. These shows, popular in the mining camps and townships, combined American “coon” imagery with local music and dance, creating a new urban style that shaped early isicathamiya aesthetics. Figures like Reuben Caluza, with his Ohlange Choir, and performers such as Isaac Mandoda Sithole helped refine this artform by mixing Zulu lyrics with entertaining dance and vocal tricks that appealed to migrant workers.
Even though the genre emerged in urban settings, many early practitioners brought it back to the rural areas, passing it down to younger generations. By the 1920s, social upheavals like forced removals and land dispossession were tearing through the KwaZulu-Natal interior. Out of these disruptions, isicathamiya became a way to reflect on loss, identity, and adaptation—carrying traditional values while speaking to a rapidly changing world.
Musically, isicathamiya uses a layered call-and-response technique. The lead vocalist introduces a melodic line, which is echoed or harmonized by the group, often creating polyphony. Songs are structured with multiple repeating segments that shift in dynamics and rhythm, offering variation without losing the core groove.
The singing is mostly a cappella, led by a high tenor soloist, with deep bass harmonies underneath; the vocal delivery is soft, blended, and carefully layered for maximum emotional impact. It is majorly characterized by the absence of instrumental accompaniment and the focus on intricate harmonies and rhythmic patterns.
Lyrical themes often explore longing, migration, family separation, and spiritual endurance, reflecting the struggles and hopes of Zulu men who worked far from their rural homes.
Rooted in Zulu migrant worker communities, Isicathamiya embodies urban adaptation, cultural pride, and the resilience of tradition amid displacement, urban labor, and social transformation in 20th-century South Africa.
The vocal timbre is resonant, dominated by low male voices and smooth harmonies, creating a warm, mellow vocal blend that’s subtle yet expressive without the use of instruments.
Arrangements feature four-part vocal harmony, with a single lead and a responsive chorus; performances often include synchronized movements, elegant dress, and seamless transitions between segments of the song.