Definition

Noun: 1. A style of lively, danceable music that originated in and is popular among Black South African communities, characterized by its upbeat tempo and the prominent use of a penny whistle as a lead instrument.

Examples

• The joyful sound of kwela filled the township streets.
• He learned to play the penny whistle by listening to old kwela records.
• The documentary explored the history of South African kwela music.

Advanced Usage

• Kwela is more than a musical genre; it is a significant cultural expression from the South African townships of the 1950s and 1960s. The music often provided a soundtrack for social dance gatherings and was a form of joyful resistance during the apartheid era.

Variants and Related Words

• Penny whistle (noun): A simple six-holed wind instrument, central to the kwela sound.
• Township music (noun phrase): A broader term for music originating from South African townships, which includes kwela.

Synonyms

• Township jive (This is a closely related, overlapping genre that sometimes incorporates kwela elements).

Noun

1. a kind of danceable music popular among black South Africans; includes a whistle among its instruments