Vox Chamber Choir - Franco Prinsloo: Naledi - An African Journey (2020)

NALEDI - An African Journey is a choral work composed and written by Franco Prinsloo. In this tale of courage, adventure and magic stylistically embedded in the African story-telling tradition, we follow Naledi, the morning and evening star, who falls to earth in her quest to reveal the divine spark of truth buried beneath the Great Baobab tree guarding an ancient secret of light. Naledi is a unique South African musical that applies the universality of South African folklore in a contemporary manner. Composer and Writer, Franco Prinsloo, drew from South African mythology (including Khoisan, Ndebele, Tswana, Venda, Swati, Xhosa, Tsonga, Sotho and Zulu stories) and collaborated with writers Bonisile Nxumalo, Ingrid Hlatswayo and Hulisani Ndou to generate an accessible multilingual musical work that examines collective themes such as truth and renewal.

In 2014 composer, Franco Prinsloo, was commissioned by the SAY MAD Foundation with the exceptional task of writing a choral-music based work that would be representative of a culture unique to South Africa. With a population of 56 million people, around twenty cultural groups and eleven official languages, he knew that rising to the challenge would be a difficult task. Knowing that his subjective interpretation of South African culture would not be enough to transcend his own cultural inhibitions, Naledi became a project of collaboration and exchange. Finding a universal storyline that would resonate with such a diverse audience while evoking a sense of pride and unity, was a rewarding challenge which sent Prinsloo on his own journey of discovery. In a time where the South African political climate is fraught with attempts to polarise and divide our nation, the time was right for such an endeavour. 

Prinsloo’s research on uniquely South African mythologies, with a specific focus on the Khoisan, Ndebele, Tswana, Venda, Swati, Xhosa, Tsonga, Sotho and Zulu stories, helped him shape and create the characters that would become the protagonists and antagonist in the case of the shape-shifting Imbulu, for Naledi’s narrative.

South Africa celebrates eleven official languages which generates a rich and diverse cultural and linguistic landscape. Instead of grounding the tale of Naledi in a single cultural context, universality is considered in a manner that honours multilingualism. An example of this is the song "Naming of the stars" which uses the word "star" in all nine of the official languages. Core narrative text in English is complemented by code-switching, or the seamless switching between various languages, which is a habitual mode of expression in South Africa’s multilingual context. This was masterfully contributed to by dramatist Ingrid Hlatshwayo. Codes in all official languages are applied to denote solidarity and emotive expression in a manner that rings true to these unique and complex linguistic patterns, yet sustains accessibility. 

Through constant research, engagement and persistence, Prinsloo came into contact with remarkable people that would help bring the concept of Naledi’s African journey to realisation. Bonisile Nxumalo, a Swati poet specialising in African story-telling tradition and fluent in Swati, English and all the Nguni languages, wrote poetry and collaborated with Prinsloo in the early stages of development of the work. Carla du Preez, a notable South African script writer, collaborated with Prinsloo in the creation of a suitable stage script which was later again revised during rehearsals by Prinsloo and director of the initial production, Elizma Badenhorst. With the concert version being performed in March 2019, Dr. Karina Lemmer went even further with Prinsloo's original story to contribute her unique interpretation.

This constant collaborative work-shopping of the text, even at times by members of the cast and choir, proved to even further streamline and integrate the story and script. Translating and composing lyrics in a vast number of South African languages proved an exciting venture. Again, collaboration with other experts in the fields of Drama and Multi-linguistics was needed to create authentic, natural verse and translations for the story.

Hulisani Ndou translated Prinsloo and Nxumalo’s poetry to Venda in the pieces “Vhona” and “Rine ri Zwelombe”. More poetry by Prinsloo and Nxumalo was translated and coded by Ingrid Hlatshwayo, who speaks a remarkable seven languages.

A unique fusion of South African musical styles influenced the work: Kwêla in "Lefatse le monate", isiCathamiya in "Vukani", the Jive in "nKanyezi", African praise poetry in "Thsilo's Prelude" and "Gogo’s Poem", traditional Ndebele lullabies in "Susuzela", traditional Swati harvest songs in "Tigcwele", protest-inspired chants like "Qapela Imbulu", the call-and-response style of African choral tradition in "O Amohetswe", the Afrikaans ballad or "luisterliedjie"-style inspired "Luister Na Die Nag", contemporary choral and musical theatre styles in "Pula, Pula!" and "Letsobana Laka". The songs are infused in a fresh hybrid manner, but yet maintain their integral essence.

The composer hopes that the audience can identify with the songs and that this work inspires and facilitates South African youth, as well as singers from around the world to connect with our fascinating and inspirational South African heritage and creativity. The resolution of the storyline carries a very strong and universal message: We are blinded by foolishness and greed, and need to search for the light or internal spark in order to see the truth and beauty of our diverse humanity.