This documentary echoes Buena Vista Social Club as an introduction to a world music icon who might otherwise have been overlooked. An excellent cast of musical colleagues and children on two continents recount her life’s journey from rural KZN to international stardom. Key characters are her closest musical friends, Dr Madala Kunene, Thandiswa Mazwai, Leoni Jansen. Musical colleagues Letta Mbulu, and next generation Dr Nduduzo Makhatini, DJ Sbu, Black Coffee, Iva Mitchell, Bernard Mndaweni, Themba Ncamu, Giselle Turner and others provide special appearances.
Busi remains an enduring icon to this day. Her legacy speaks volumes to the new style of Afrocentrity and Afro-futurism that current and future generations gravitate towards. Yet the film will provide the first significant memorialisation of her legacy.
Originators, writers, producers and founding directors of Sausage Film Company, Struan Douglas and Vusi Mchunu are both Durban born with long and successful working relationships with Busi Mhlongo over the last 20 years. Their company Sausage Films follows the “Izazi Zakhiti” philosophy to provide an authentic knowledge, philosophy, vision and world view of the African cultural experience thereby protecting the human dignity, freedom, ecology, environment, health and uBuntu way of life.
The documentary highlights the themes and narrative arcs of Busi Mhlongo’s story but also serves to deepen the audience’s connection to Zulu Cosmology, setting the stage for an impactful viewing experience.
Her likeness to the mythological being uNomkhubulwane, her ancestral links to Queen Nandi and her mentorship with Princess Magogo is all critical cultural heritage of South Africa. Furthermore, her personal journey parallels the journey of the South African nation from apartheid SA to new SA.
Her 50-year artistic journey shows a series of inciting incidents, cliff-hangers, ruptures and transformations that are singular and unique in this drama and filmic trip. Busi’s journey, touches on obstacles, antagonists and enablers: family, collaborating musicians, musical theatre producers, promoters, producers, pains of exile, alienation from family, assuming music leadership, discrimination against an African woman artist, addiction, attack by cervix and breast cancer, little recognition at home.
Act 1 is titled Ubizo which means calling. From a young age she is asked, is music my destiny. She makes choices to bring music into her life and the world around her responds to her decision to follow music.
Busi is voice of the Ancestors: Guardian of an Ancient Zulu Culture, Growing up in the valley of a thousand hills. From her earliest years Busi is attracted to the spirituality in the music. Her Inanda community has rich music traditions of Ngoma groups, church and music of the Shembe particularly ukusina (sacred dance). The sacred dance is marked a slow, meditative hymn from the Shembe tradition, marked by deep, harmonic chanting. And the Amahubo amaNazaretha that inspired Busi. Her father is a maskandi musician. Maskandi music is a central theme and is the musical style that Busi made famous internationally. Maskandi comes from the Afrikaans word “musikante” meaning roving troubadour, or minstrel. Over generations maskandi music genre became subjected to patriarchy and was regarded as the domain of only males. However Busi is a maskandi in the true sense of the word.
