Veteran Tshivenda traditional musician Julia Nemakhavhani said she would do whatever was necessary to ensure that the Venda culture, which she loved with all her heart, did not fade away and become extinct.
The artist has once again proven her dedication and love with the release of her second album, Tshipure Maranga. The five-track album was released in February this year and, judging by the warm reception it received, is destined to become another great success. Songs such as Dandila, Tshipure Maranga (title track) and Nyamuofhe Bengo are already new favourites of the fans.
The 66-year-old-granny from Makwarani, outside Thohoyandou, has been in the creative arts for many years. In 1970, she founded and led a group known as Makwarani Sialala a Li Ngafi, but she only recorded her first album, Tangulani, in 2020. The album, with smoking hot tracks such as the title track, Tangulani, and Delele, became a hit with Tshivenda music lovers and received massive airplay on radio and at community functions. She became very popular with the fans after this.
As to why she had taken such a long time to record her music, Nemakhavhani was quick to point out that the time had just not been right before. "It is true that it took me decades to come up with an album. It was not yet time for me to produce an album. I have been mentoring my community on different cultural dances, but now is my time to shine. God's time is never wrong," she said.
Nemakhavhani said she was overwhelmed by the support she was getting from her fans and that it encouraged her every day to work for her community. "I am born to serve and will continue to make my humble contribution as far as the arts are concerned. I am a teacher and have taught the different traditional dances to the young and old in my community, free of charge. I will continue to do this as long as God wishes," she said.
The granny's daughter, Ms Winnie Nemakhavhani, and her siblings manage their mother's music. She hailed her mother as the best musician she knew.