Mbube
Mbube is a tradition of choral singing that is primarily rooted in the call-and- response polyphonic singing of the Zulu people, along with harmonic influences of Christian hymnody. By the early twentieth century, performances were organized into informal contests. Called “nightsong,” they took place regularly on Saturday evenings—the end of the workweek—and ran through the night. The vocal groups incorporated choreography inspired by traditional dances, such as a high-stepping stomp, as well as ragtime marches popular of the period. Outside the camps, similar small-group choral performances were commonly found at various events, particularly in minstrel shows and for family celebrations, such as weddings. Western notions of harmonic progression, ragtime syncopation, and subdued dance choreography were more influential in these latter contexts.