Música de Lesotho

Raízes e tradições

Traditional music and instruments

The traditional musical forms and instruments of Lesotho are part of a shared inheritance among Southern African nations. It is not clear whether these instruments were brought to Lesotho via the Bantu Migrations, were created locally by San, Khoi, or other peoples, or is a mix of these sources. For example, musical bows appear to pre-date the arrival of the Bantu peoples, but the instruments became more complex after their arrival.

The lesiba is a type of musical bow that has been referred to as the national instrument of Lesotho by musicologists. It is the most popular of the country's traditional instruments. It has a distinctive sound, and due to its position as a national symbol, it is used in the theme music for national news broadcasts. The origins of the instrument are unclear, but it has been played in southern Africa for at least 400 years.

The lesiba is an unbraced mouth-resonated bow, which uses a quill as its vibration source to vibrate its single string. The instrument is approximately 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) long.

Música popular

20th century musical inventions

Two instruments emerged in Basotho music during the 20th century—the koriana and the 'mamokhorong.

Beginning in the 1920s, the koriana (a Sotho language loanword for accordion or concertina) became a popular musical instrument in Lesotho. Though it is only a century old, it is viewed as a traditional musical style in part because the lyrics are in Sotho. The koriana is often accompanied by a drum to form a small band. Koriana music evolved as form of entertainment in small unlicensed bars (shebeens) in the slums of northeastern South Africa, and intermingled with other African urban music styles in a mix of styles collectively known as marabi. Within Lesotho, koriana-based marabi music would form the foundation of famo music (see below). Koriana musicians developed a reputation as wanderers. Successful musicians starting out by playing in local bars, and would begin to get invited to play at special occasions, such as weddings or ceremonies, often quite far from home. It has developed into a Sotho saying: