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Lesotho is a Southern African nation surrounded entirely by South Africa, and mostly populated by Basotho people. Its music is a complex mix of cross-cultural musical traditions informed by Bantu migrations, Basotho traditions, and South African and European influences.
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 a mix of these sources. For example, musical bows appear to pre-date the Bantu arrivals, but the instruments became more complex after their arrival. [1] : 4–5
The lesiba is a type of musical bow that has been referred to as the national instrument of Lesotho by musicologists, and remains the most popular of the traditional instruments. It has a distinctive sound, and due to its position as a national symbol, it is used in the theme music for news broadcasts on Lesotho Radio. Its precise history is unclear, but it has been played in southern Africa for at least 400 years. [1] : 2, 12–13 [2] : 1 [3] : 1
The instrument itself is an unbraced mouth-resonated bow, which uses a quill as its vibration source to vibrate its single string. The instrument is approximately one metre long, and can be made from various materials; wood and metal are possible for its neck, and wire or sinew can be used for the string. Sound is generated by strong breathing across the quill, with the air speed over the quill affecting the frequency of the string's vibration. It was traditionally an instrument used by rural herdsmen, and individual playing styles may have functioned as identification signals to their cattle as well as soothing melodies for human listeners. Despite its recognition as a distinctly Basotho instrument, its music and musicians are largely left out of the musical economy in Lesotho. [2] : 6, 9 [3] : 2–3
Basotho culture has a wider variety of traditional musical instruments beyond the lesiba, though the others have less of a footprint in modern-day Lesotho. [1] : 2
The thomo is a gourd-resonated single-string bow traditionally played by young women; the addition of a resonating chamber to the bow improved the sound. It usually played with the gourd resting on the chest, and may be played with or without vocal accompaniment. It is rarely played today, and the word "thomo" is now often used to mean "piano" instead. [1] : 17–19 [4] : 353
Though it looks different, the setolo-tolo is a similar instrument; instead of a gourd, the resonant chamber is the player's mouth. It consists of a core bamboo or wooden cylinder, on which the mouth is placed, with rods coming out of both ends, connected by the bowstring. The musician plucks the string with one hand while holding the core cylinder with the mouth and the other hand. Unlike the thomo, it is associated with male musicians. [1] : 19–20 [5]
Other traditional instruments include the lekolilo, a kind of flute; the lekope, a simple bow instrument that was used as a training tool for the thomo; and the sekebeku, a jaw-harp. [1] : 6, 22, 25
Two additional musical instruments emerged in Basotho music in 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. [6] : 126
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). [6] : 127
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:
Ngoana oa hao ha u sa mo rate u mo rekele koriana a tle a tsekele a e’o shoella moo u sa tsebeng
If you do not love your child, buy him an accordion so that he can wander and disappear into thin air. [6] : 128
The 'mamokhorong (or sekhankula) is a recent invention that has also become popular. It appears to date from the 1930s, around the same time as the koriana. It is a long string instrument that is played sitting down. It consists of a curved rod of wood or metal attached to a tin can or similar resonator. A wire is stretched from the end of the resonator to the far end of the rod. Music is produced by running a bow across the wire, similar to playing a violin. It may be played with or without vocal accompaniment, and 'mamokhorong music often follows a circular structure. [1] : 23–24 [7]
Most frequently heard on the radio are various sub-Saharan AfroPop styles, Sotho Hip-hop, [8] RnB, Deep house, Soulful House, Dancehall, Jazz, kwaito, and reggae.[ citation needed ]
Famo music, an outgrowth of koriana music, holds the most prominent place in the contemporary music scene in Lesotho. [9] The term famo comes from the phrase ho re famo, meaning "to flare one's nostrils", reflecting its active, competitive nature. [10] : 52
As famo gained popularity, it also became entwined with gangs. Control and protection rackets for Basotho labourers in (often illegal) South African mines (zama zama) inhabited the same mining towns as famo music. Over time, the musicians themselves fell into factions, competing for fans and airplay. Two prominent famo performers, Chakela and Lekase, formed rival factions: Terene and Seakhi, respectively. Differences between the factions eventually rose to the level of politics, with Terene supporting the government and Seakhi supporting the opposition party in the late 2010s. In recent years, the groups have splintered into dozens of groups, including internal battles within the Terene faction. [9] [10] : 52 In 2024, Lesotho's government banned some famo groups as "terrorists" due to ongoing violence. [11] [12]
Vocal choirs, which sing church music in Sesotho, are also popular. They range from traditional a capella choirs to groups that mix gospel music with famo, jazz, hip-hop and other influences. [13]
Lesotho's geographic position as an enclave of South Africa leads South African musicians to have a large following in Lesotho. [13] [14] Johannesburg in particular plays an outsized role in Lesotho's music scene. For example, Johannesburg's pubs (shebeens) served as incubators for koriana music. [6] Lesotho's musicians also often travel to South Africa to record their albums and distribute their music, as there are more resources available there. [13] However, in the late apartheid era, South African artists had used Lesotho as a "safe haven" for their concerts. [14]
Despite the popularity of music within the country, Basotho musicians have rarely been able to make significant money from their music. Lesotho's "Queen of Famo", Puseletso Seema, for instance, has seen little financial gain from her music. [9] [12] The Lesotho government implemented a system in 2024 charging businesses for using music for commercial purposes and distributing that money to the artists. [15]
The Morija Arts & Cultural Festival is a prominent Sotho music festival, held annually, which highlights the dance and music of the Basotho people. [16]
The national anthem of Lesotho is "Lesotho fatše la bo-ntat'a rona". The lyrics were written by missionaries François Coillard and Adolphe Mabille, using music from Ferdinand Samuel Laur, composed in the 1820s. It was officially adopted as the national anthem in 1967. [17]
