Music of Botswana

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Botswana is an African country made up of numerous ethnic groups, though the Batswana are the most numerous. Music is an omnipresent part of Botswana culture, and include popular and folk forms. Batswana church choirs are common across the country. Music education is an integral part of the Botswana educational system. Children of all ages are taught traditional songs and dances.

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[edit] Popular music

Like many African countries, much of the popular music there is called jazz, though it has little resemblance to the African American genre of that name. There has been a push in recent years to focus on revitalizing the Botswana music industry instead of purchasing foreign releases. Most popular music in Botswana still comes from South Africa, United States, Europe or elsewhere in Africa. Gumba-gumba is a form of modernized Zulu and Tswana music, mixed with traditional jazz; the word gumba comes from township slang for party.

[edit] Hip hop

Main article: Botswana hip hop

Botswana hip hop crews include The Wizards, a long-standing crew that fuses hip hop with ragga and R&B. The television show Strictly Hip Hop, hosted by Draztik and Slim (both of the Cashless Society Crew and co-founders of Unreleased Records), has done much for the Bostwana scene. The record label Phat Boy is also very important [1].

[edit] Folk music

Tswana music is mostly vocal and performed without drums; it also makes heavy use of string instruments.

[edit] Music instititions

The National Music Eisteddfod is held annually in Selebi-Phikwe [2].

Southern African music

Angola | Botswana | Comoros | Lesotho | Madagascar | Malawi | Mauritius
Mozambique | Namibia | Réunion | Swaziland | South Africa | Zambia | Zimbabwe

[edit] References

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