INKAKHA yomculo we-reggae, uRichard Siluma, enengxoxo ekhethekile nephephandaba Izwi Lomphakathi, eNewcastle Inn, eNewcastle Isithombe: LANGELIHLE CHAGWE
OYINKAKHA yomculo owazakhela igama ngomculo wombhaqanga ngeminyaka yama-1980s, uRichard “Richie S” Siluma, usephumele obala ngezinhlelo zokukhuza ibuya njengoba ematasa e-studio epheka i-albhamu entsha enezingoma ezingu-14 okulindeleke iphume maduze.
USiluma (70) wodumo lwamanoni ezingoma okubalwa kuzo i-African Dance ne-Change, Wobuyeka Maria, ungumzala wesihlabani se-reggae esingasekho uLucky Dube, kanti njengamanje usengumbhali wezingoma no-projusa onenkampani eqophela abaculi abehlukene, eseGoli.
Le ngwazi yomculo esimnkantshubomvu, eyaziwa ngamanye ama-albhamu omculo okubalwa kuwona i-Thembisile, Born in Africa, ne-Mantombazane, ibe nengxoxo ekhethekile ne-Izwi Lomphakathi, lapho beyilanda khona ngokusuka nokuhlala ngothando lwayo lomculo nemvelaphi yayo.
Inkaba kaSiluma ise-Newtown, e-Ermelo, esifundazweni iMpumalanga phambilini eyayaziwa nge-Eastern Transvaal, lapho azalwa khona ngo-1954, ezalwa ngu Alpheus Siluma kanye no-Ellen Dube.
“Ngakhuliswa ngugogo wami u-Sarah Khanyi ngineminyaka eyisikhombisa ngihlala naye e-Ermelo, okwathi sengineminyaka elishumi ngayohlala eMadanyini, endaweni eyaziwa nge-42, eBlaauwbosch, eNewcastle.
Ngenxa yokuthi ubaba wayesebenza emayini yase-Kilbacharn, eNewcastle, ngagcina sengihlala khona eNewcastle, ngingakaze ngiye esikoleni njengoba kusukela ebuncaneni bami ngineminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala ngihlala nogogo, ngangivuka njalo ekuseni ngiyosebenzela abelungu ezingadini, imali engangiyithola ngithenge ngayo isinkwa esinsuku nobisi ngidle.
“Sengihlala eBlaauwbosch, eNewcastle, ngaqala ngazikhandela isiginci sami ngoba ngifuna umsindo emva kokulalela umsakazo owawubizwa ngeRadio Bantu, manje osekwaba nguKhozi FM. Ngikhanda lesiginci ngoba ngifuna okusamsindo, nokuyilapho-ke uthando lwami lomculo lwaqala khona. Ngabe sengiqala ngithenga kancance, kancane izinto ze-band,” kulanda uSiluma.
Uthi langalimbe eseneminyaka engu-16, wacelwa ngomunye ubaba ukuthi amgezele imoto ngoba efuna ukuya kwi-festival, eyayizoba sehholo lase-Ermelo, lapho kwakuzocula khona isihlabani somculo wombhaqanga, uMahlathini (Simon Nkabinde) ongasekho.
“Lo baba engangimgezela imoto wabe engithembise ukuhamba nami ukuya kule-festival uma sengimgezele le moto. Ngempela kwenzeka njengamagama enkehli wangithatha lo baba saya kwi-festival, kwaba yilapho lwaqala khona uthando lomculo,” kusho uSiluma emamatheka futhi ecula ezinye izingoma zakhe azozikhipha kule albhamu amatasa ngayo.
“Ngemva kokubuka i-festival kaMahlathini ngabe sengiba nogqozi kakhulu kunakuqala, njengoba ngase ngiqala ngihlanganisa i-band yombhaqanga, engayiqamba nge-Love Brothers, eyabe ihlanganise amalunga ayo aqhamuka Osizweni, Blaauwbosch naseMadadeni.
I-band yethu i-Love Brothers yayisebenzisa lezi zinto engangizithenga kancane kancane yaze yahlangana.
Engasungula nabo iqembu i-Love Brothers, kwakukhona kubo uChris Dlamini owayedlala ama-drums, uMuntu Khumalo owayedlala i-keyboard, uNick Makhubo kwi-lead guitar, uKiller Dube kwi-rhythm guitar, uMakhosini Nene kwi-bass guitar, uJohn Siluma kuma-drums nasekudanseni, uPatrick Sibeko owayeyi-sound engineer aphinde adanse, kube yiminina uRichard Siluma owayeyi-lead singer (ecula phambili), kwathi uLucky Dube yena wangena njenge-backing vocalist (ukucula ngemuva) ngo-1979 ngoba wayesafunda isungulwa le band.
“Kukhona usuku lapho mina noLucky noJohn, esingalalanga khona ngenhloso yokuqhamuka namasu omculo wombhaqanga,” esho.
Uqhube uthi waqala ukusebenza ngonyaka ka-1976 esebenzela inkampani ekhiqiza amarekhodi, i-Teal, ngisebenza njengomuntu okilinayo (cleaner).
Kuningi athi wakufunda esebenza kule nkampani yamarekhodi namapuleti omculo, okwamenza wazi lonke uhlobo lomculo kanye nabaculi bomhlaba wonke ngoba le nkampani yayidayisa amakhasethi abo abaculi, wabe esebona ukuthi umculo othengwa kakhulu kule nkampani i-reggae.
“Ngasuswa emsebenzini woku-kilina ngasiwa kowokudayisa, owawungihambisa kakhulu ngidayisa amakhasethi namapuleti omculo. Ngenkathi ngidayisa lomculo futhi ngiwulalela kahle ukuthi cha umculo we-reggae uyathandwa emhlabeni jikelele. Ngabe sengiqoka uLucky (Dube) ukuthi acule lo mculo we-reggae.”
Uthe ngaleso sikhathi wakwazi ukuvumbulula abaculi okubalwa kubona uMzikayifani Ntuli woKhamba lomvaleliso.
“Abaculi abafana noRay Phiri (ongasekho) nabo basebenza ngaphansi kwami. Abanye babo uZwelibi Zulu, Mazambane, Sinakho Dance Band, noSipho Jumbo.
Kukhona umculi olingisa uLucky Dube wase-Upington, uThami Kiet, futhi uculisa okwakhe, engamqoka ukuthi enze wona lo mculo we-reggae ngoba ngangifuna ukuthola umuntu ozongena ezicathulweni zakhe uLucky.
Kunane-band yaseHolland edlala umculo kaLucky Dube, iwudlalela umhlaba wonke okuyi-LED Band. Emhlabeni wonke ibhendi nebhendi idlala umculo kaLucky Dube.”
Uqhuba uthi ngemva kokushona kukaLucky Dube waqoka umculi wase-Nigeria, uBurny Priest, ukuba angene ezicathulweni zika Lucky Dube, nempela wakwazi ukuwenza lo mculo. Uthe e-England iqembu lomculo we-reggae, i-Burning Spear, nalo lagqugquzelwa nguye ekwenzeni lolu hlobo lomculo.
Le nkakha esimnkantshubomvu, iphethe ngokuthi yize iminyaka isihambile, kodwa isewumqemane, njengoba isabhala umculo, iphinde idlale nasesiteji.
