This paper explores the role of quality education in building inclusive societies by integrating indigenous South African musical instruments—such as the umasengwane, umtshingo, and kudu horns—into undergraduate university curricula, especially for students from underprivileged backgrounds. The study argues that including indigenous instruments not only validates and preserves local knowledge systems, but also fosters cultural pride, belonging, academic engagement, and equitable access to higher education. Drawing from postcolonial theory, ethnomusicology, and educational justice frameworks, the paper proposes a curriculum model that places indigenous music at the centre of inclusive educational transformation in South Africa.

1. Introduction

The legacy of colonialism and apartheid has left South Africa with an education system that is still heavily skewed toward Western ways of knowing and cultural practices. This is most evident in music education, where Western instruments[1] are often privileged over indigenous ones. Many students themselves tend to choose Western instruments, overlooking the rich value of their own traditions.

While some efforts have been made to decolonise the curriculum, the integration of indigenous knowledge—especially in music—remains limited. Quality education, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, is more than academic proficiency: it is a tool for social inclusion, cultural equity, and empowerment for marginalised groups.

This practice note contends that integrating indigenous South African musical instruments such as the umasengwane (friction drum), umtshingo (end-blown flute), and kudu horns into undergraduate curricula offers a culturally affirming and inclusive approach to education, particularly for students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. Instruments like the umasengwane and umtshingo are both accessible and easier to learn and make than string instruments or marimbas, providing an approachable entry point into playing and appreciating indigenous music.

2. Quality Education and Inclusive Societies

Quality education extends beyond academic results. It must also promote diversity, cultural relevance, identity, belonging, and social justice. Inclusive societies emerge when education:

• Reflects the lived realities of all cultural groups,
• Encourages equal participation and voice, and
• Validates non-Western ways of knowing and learning.

For underprivileged students—many of whom come from rural or township backgrounds—standard university curricula often feel alienating. The inclusion of indigenous music, deeply rooted in community traditions and collective memory, can serve as a bridge between personal identity and academic knowledge.

3. Indigenous South African Instruments: Cultural and Educational Value

Umasengwane
The umasengwane is a friction drum played among Nguni people. Traditionally played solo, it is now often performed in groups and used in storytelling and oral poetry. Its overtone-rich soundscape represents one of the oldest forms of African musical expression. The name umasengwane comes from the playing technique, which resembles the motion of milking a cow (ukusenga). Zulu speakers often call it ingulube because of the pig-like sound it produces.

Umtshingo
The umtshingo is an end-blown flute, common across Nguni cultures and traditionally played by herders or in communal settings. Originally made from river reed, today it is often crafted from plastic pipe. Its tunability with water and natural materials connects learners to environmental awareness and traditional craftsmanship. The name umtshingo comes from the word ukuyintshinga (“to throw away”), as boys who played the flute while herding cattle would discard it at the end of the day, making a new one the following morning.

Kudu Horns
Kudu horns are used across Southern Africa, often played in ensembles to create layered harmonic textures. Traditionally linked to ceremonial, military, and communal functions, they promote collaboration and group cohesion. Today, kudu horns have even been incorporated into Western orchestras—such as in the works of composer Hans Huyssen—played in sets of six, from the highest to the lowest pitch.

Each of these instruments carries deep cultural knowledge and community engagement, offering students a multidimensional learning platform.

4. Curriculum Integration Strategies

From my experience with students at Zwelinzima High School, the introduction of indigenous music has been a deeply transformative and enriching journey—for the students and for me. This initiative is part of a broader effort to promote social cohesion, restore human dignity, and Africanise education so that learning becomes more inclusive, relevant, and reflective of African cultures and histories.

Indigenous music offers a counter-narrative to Western educational frameworks, allowing students to engage with their heritage in ways that affirm identity and creativity. To integrate these instruments meaningfully into music education, schools should adopt a transdisciplinary, inclusive, and decolonial pedagogical approach. Key strategies include:

• Course Development: Create elective or core courses on Indigenous Music and Performance, blending practical music-making with ethnomusicology, history, and linguistics.
• Community Partnerships: Work with local knowledge holders and traditional musicians to co-teach and co-design modules. This respects community intellectual property and bridges academic and indigenous worlds. Elders can be invited to run workshops on instrument-making and cultural significance.
• Performance-Based Assessment: Move beyond written assessments to include performance, oral presentation, and group collaboration. This recognises diverse learning styles and honours oral traditions.
• Resource Accessibility: Invest in locally made instruments and create lending programs. For underprivileged students, access to resources is key to participation.

5. Benefits for Underprivileged Students

Cultural Affirmation
Students are more likely to thrive academically when their cultural identities are recognised and respected. Learning traditional instruments fosters pride and belonging. At Zwelinzima High School, many students expressed a renewed sense of pride in their African identity. For them, learning indigenous music has been personal and transformative, connecting their studies to their roots.

Cost-Effectiveness
Indigenous instruments are typically less expensive than Western ones. Many are made and sold locally, while Western instruments usually must be purchased in music shops. Some instruments have also adapted with time—for example, umtshingo, once made from river reed, is now often made from plastic pipe.

Knowledge Decentralisation
Including traditional music decentralises Eurocentric dominance in music education, making space for African epistemologies and aesthetic systems. It also restores dignity to elders, who may have been dismissed as “uneducated” but hold deep musical knowledge. Involving them as teachers reaffirms their role as carriers of wisdom.

Skills Development
Students gain not only musical skills but also teamwork, critical thinking, cultural literacy, and creative confidence—skills essential for 21st-century citizenship. The ability to make instruments also provides potential economic opportunities.

6. Fostering Inclusivity Through Music

Music is a communal art form that fosters empathy, collective memory, and intercultural dialogue. When students learn and perform traditional instruments:

• They build solidarity across class and cultural divides,
• They preserve and revitalise indigenous heritage,
• They contribute to a learning environment that values all voices.

Inclusive education must embrace the rhythms, harmonies, and languages of all South Africans—not just those historically privileged.

7. Challenges and Considerations

While integrating indigenous instruments is transformative, several challenges remain:

• Lack of academic materials,
• Curriculum resistance due to Eurocentric traditions,
• Staff training, as most skilled players come from communities rather than universities,
• Instrument availability—during one workshop, about 60% of students lacked the required bucket to make an umasengwane, though they were accommodated,
• Limited suitable teaching spaces,
• Student perceptions—some believe that because they are familiar with these instruments, they don’t need to practise seriously.

These challenges show the need for institutional support, resource investment, and cultural shifts in how indigenous knowledge is valued.

8. Conclusion

Integrating indigenous South African instruments like the umasengwane, umtshingo, and kudu horns into music education is more than cultural enrichment—it is an act of educational justice. It aligns with South Africa’s efforts to decolonise knowledge, expand access, and build inclusive, socially cohesive societies.

By elevating indigenous music in schools and universities, South Africa can create a richer, more equitable educational landscape—one that truly listens to, and learns from, all its people.

 

Bibliography

• Department of Higher Education and Training (South Africa). Decolonising the Curriculum in Higher Education.
• Nketia, J. H. K. (1974). The Music of Africa. W.W. Norton.
• Morrow, W. (2007). Learning to Teach in South Africa. HSRC Press.
• (2015). Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action.
• Zulu, M. (2019). “Indigenous Musical Instruments and the Reimagining of Music Education in South Africa.” South African Journal of Musicology.

[1] “Western instruments” generally refer to instruments that are traditionally used in Western classical, folk, or popular music traditions, as opposed to instruments from other cultural regions like Asia or Africa.

By Nosindiso Mtimkulu