WOMAD

Young Zulu Warriors

From South Africa

Plenty of South African groups in the post-apartheid era have laid claim to being the favourite musicians of one Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. They might not hold the number one position, but the Young Zulu Warriors are certainly up there in Madiba’s top ten. A 27-strong group of children and young adults who originally formed in a care home for those orphaned or abandoned due to HIV or violence, the former president personally invited the Warriors to perform at the opening of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. And it’s easy to see exactly what enchanted the former president. The Warriors are steeped in the culture of their Zulu heritage and their goose-bumping harmony singing, matched by their sharply choreographed dancing, is nothing short of delightful. And this is music for thought, too. Their songs are often shot through with heartbreak and tragedy, marking the Warriors out as articulate and proud ambassadors for their troubled homeland. But there’s an irresistible, overwhelmingly joyful edge to their performances too, a celebration of how these brave children sidestepped hardship to receive rich acclaim across the world.