#mpumalanga white birds

These are the Mpumalanga White Birds, an “Isicathamiya” a capella group from Durban, South Africa. Isicathamiya roughly translates to “walking softly” from Zulu, and seems to reference the choreography that goes along with the singing. Groups tend towards the theatrical in dress, movements, and singing (I love the white gloves as the hands shake and shimmer!). The most famous Isicathamiya singers have to be the men in Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who have appeared on many Western musicians’ albums, most notably Paul Simon’s Graceland.