Cultural and Idiomatic Narratives in Maskanda Music

A Thematic Analysis of “Umendo” and “Dear Msakazi”

Bibliographic Data

ID19480738
AuthorsSakhiseni Joseph Yende (0000-0002-7649-2799, University of South Africa, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-23
Publication date2026-05-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMuziki (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1753-593X • E-ISSN: 1812-5980
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/18125980.2026.2629873
OpenAlexW7161305608
LanguageEN
References cited33

This article examines cultural and idiomatic narratives in South African Indigenous music, with specific reference to Johnny Dimba’s “Dear Msakazi” and Buselaphi’s “Umendo.” The analysis is informed by conceptual metaphor theory (CMT), which conceptualises metaphor not merely as a stylistic or rhetorical device but as a fundamental cognitive and cultural mechanism through which individuals and communities structure experience and produce meaning. This theoretical perspective is particularly suited to analysing isiZulu song texts, where metaphor functions as a culturally embedded resource for articulating communal values, identity, and socio-political critique. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative research design grounded in close textual and thematic analysis of selected song lyrics, focusing on cultural codes, implicit meanings, and the negotiation of social realities embedded in musical expression. The findings indicate that the songs function as archives of cultural memory and collective identity, employ metaphorical and idiomatic language to convey emotional depth and social commentary, and reflect ongoing tensions between tradition and modernity within urban African contexts. The article concludes that Indigenous African music constitutes a dynamic cultural arena in which communities negotiate identity, validate lived experiences, and engage critically with socio-political realities, thereby contributing to both cultural continuity and broader public discourse

Discourse analysis · Narrative · Narrative inquiry · Thematic analysis · Thematic map · Diverse Musicological Studies · Music History and Culture · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies

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