ABAFAZI BENGOMA ORIGINAL
Abafazi be Ngoma is looking at doing projects that will bring women together and grooming young women, so we can play our part in making sure our culture is not forgotten. Our main objective is to break the stereotype that women cannot work together and women cannot play drums and also that women cannot go into business together.
Our mission includes the following:
1. To peform and produce raw African sounds
2. To motivate, inspire and postively impact the lives of young and old women across racial boundries & physical characteristics within Africa and the world at large
3. To tell our stories through performance and create a dialogue to expose, discuss, debate & negotiate womens challenges and achievements
4. To create a new platform where women are involved in transformation and the effects thereof
5. To create solutions for womens participation, especially in the Arts industry
MEET TINY
Tiny Modise KA Tyamzashe
Founder of AbafaziBengoma, Internationally acclaimed drummer, dancer, actress & singer. Tiny has been in the arts for over 25 years & has had the privilege to travel to all 7 continents of the world performing & being an ambassador & a proud preserver of South African culture, even to date!
Worked for the drum cafe for almost 20 years facilitating team building for giant Corporate companies & banks in SA...
She Was nominated for a Disney’s Relly award against John Travolta,Ashton Kutcher and Richard Gere off Broadway in New York...
Tiny loves coming back home to teach & share all the experience of difference cultures ,believes & common ways that humans can share to better life...
She loves teaching children ,supporting and creating community initiatives to contribute in bringing change & chance in under privileged communities like the one she comes from...
Tiny has been & travelled with AbafaziBengoma from day 1 till to date ..
MEET NKELE
Dikeledi Portia “Nkele” Modubu was born in Naledi, Soweto. She was raised by her beloved grandmother. Nkele joined her grannys' church at the age of 3, and at the age of 6 joined the church choir which is when she began to discover her love of music.
When she was a teenager she joined the school choir at Thabo Senior Secondary School, soon after school she involved herself in community activities such as drama, dance and music. She then joined Ntlo
ya Modimo choir and Full Gospel Holy Choir. In 2006 she then began her career as a professional singer, actor and a dancer in the late Gibson Kente production. She performed two
shows called “Mfowethu” and “The Call” written and directed by the late Gibson Kente, which were performed at various venues including the State Theatre, Market Theatre, Pacofs and Grahamstown at the National Arts Festival.
She has also worked with Constanza Macras from Germany in the production called “The Offside Rules” which was performed at The Market Theatre and Hamburg
Kampnagel Festival. In addition, performed with Thabang Ramaila in an award winning production called “Ndlovukazi” which was performed at Civic Theatre, Uncle Toms Hall, Soweto
Theatre, Market Theatre and at the Dance Manyano Awards.She was part of dancers for the 2013 AFCON opening ceremony held at Soccer City Stadium. Toured to India with “Ubuhle
Besintu” production. Currently working with Jullian Seleke Mokoto of Abangani Theatre production as an actress and a singer in “She Died Dreaming” and “Money Maker”. A lead singer and co- songwriter of Dikosha band which, in 2013 she released a gospel album with Bham Ntabeni titled Entabeni Kancwane.
In 2014 she worked with Alex Motswiri in a show called Magadi “The brides price”, she was a lead singer in a theatrical show called Bawelile “The
Crossing” and lead singer on the musical titled Book of Daniel & Mafahla {The twins}. Currently, she is working with Abafazi Bengoma as a singer, drummer & marimba player.
MEET NONHLANHLA
Nonhlanhla Ndhlovu is a very young,vibrant and creative woman! It all began in 2004 at a company called Drum Cafe, I started there as a dancer, then toured global stages.
The following are some global stages I have performed in which started in 2006 when I went to Brazil (Salvador) under Nomsa Manaka for a cultural exchange act, in 2008 I performed in Holland, 2010 World Cup SA with Shakira perfoming Waka Waka, then in 2014, 2016 and 2017 performing Drum Struck in Tokyo & Japan. I’ve been with Abafazi Bengoma for years and never looked back!
MEET DIKELEDI
Dikeledi Mathibela was born in 1982 Alexandra township. At the age of 9 years, she joined a gospel
choir, that is where her love of singing blossomed. She was the youngest vocal leader in the choir. Then in 1998, she joined a performing arts organization called Amakhono Wesintu which lead to her travelling to the Reunion Island for the D Art Metis Festival. In 2000 she also toured four Euroupean countries with Art Ensemble of Chicago. Amakhono also shared the stage with established Artist like Busi Mhlongo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Habib Koite and Sipho Gumede, which is where she learned and got interested in dancing. She is experienced in Zulu, Tswana and other form of dances. In 2001, she joined the cast of drum struck, an interactive theatre show, the show was performed in SA state theatre and Market Theatre before going to China and Australia for a tour.
She continued working with Drum Cafe doing corporate gigs like IFA awards and Moyo restaurant function. Also
did industrial theatre for big companies like Engen. In 2005, she performed in Broadway, New York for a drum struck run. In 2006, she became a residing performing artist in all the Moyo restaurants, then in 2010 she was part of FIFA World Cup South Africa, she
toured all 9 provinces teaching and performing Diski dance. Here are highlights of her performances as a freelancer; Playing a Sheeben Queen in a musical,the launch of 1,5 littles of Coke, 2015 SAFA awards as percussionist, 2016 Japan tour as a singer, dancer & percussionist, opening ceremony of Africa cup {Orange cup}, 2014 she went on a tour to Holland with Abafazi BeNgoma. In most of her work, she would collaborate with Tiny Modise AKA XL that’s where Heavyweights was conceptualised. Since then she’s been busy performing and working on heavyweights single.
MEET LUMKA
My name is Nompumelelo Felicia Lumka, born in Alexandra Township. I am a renowned singer-songwriter, actress, dancer & a percussionist who has been in the art industry for more than a decade.
I started performing at a very young age, where I was groomed by a very well-known Director named Ntshieng Mokgoro, even took part in her shows as a narrator, Djembe player & a singer. I have also been touring the world with different groups like Abafazi Bengoma, Soweto Spiritual Singers, One Square Mile among many others representing South Africa in different parts of the world like Netherlands, Austria & Scotland.
I have also performed locally, participated in community work, performed in prisons, schools, old age homes and workshops for kids to teach them how to dance, act & sing. Being in the art industry has given me the opportunity to work and share a stage with legends such as Sello Maake ka Ncube, Winnie Mashaba, Simphiwe Dana, Lira and Ihashi e Limhlophe which has helped me to grow artistically and improved my confidence.
My vision is to see my self successful in the industry and to give back to my community & I truly believe that in order for me to achieve that I must stay true to my self, believe in my self and my craft.
Always willing to learn and to grow!
MEET NOSIPHO
I'm Nosipho Mtotoba born in Soweto, growing up I've always loved singing, I've sang in weddings, funerals and other small gatherings. Professionally I joined the entertainment world in the year 2008 as a lead singer for theater production Dinganga Theater Creations (DTC). Then in the year 2009, I was chosen by South Africas most famous choreographer David to represent the country in Malaysia at the International Ministers Conference.
In 2011, I had grown in the industry and could now write and compose music for DTC, and in the same year, I had the privilege of being part of the Arts Festival in Grahamstown. I then later decided to become a freelancer and explore other productions in theater & coperate world. I have had shows in restaurants such as Moyos, Melrose Arch backing Zoe Mkhize an Afro Pop singer. In 2012, I started working with a Gospel Group called A New Song, we recorded a Live DVD recording in Soweto Theater, since joining the Group I have worked witH gospel legends in the gospel industry such as Benjamin Dube, Neyi Zimu, Omega, James Okon from Nigeria and individuals from Joyous Celebration.
Then in 2015, I became a lead singer for the tribute to Jackie Simela (legend in dance) and went on to work with Zahara the famous Loliwe hitmaker and a female group called Abafazi Bengoma which specialises in dance, music, marimba, drums and percussion. We toured the Netherlands in 2017, then in 2018, travelled to the Netherlands with a group called African Mammas Directed by Leoni Jansen and Co-Director Jan Eric.
In the same year, Abafazi beNgoma went to Bahrain (Middle East) for the Liberation Heritage Conference. In July, I performed at Sun Arena for the world choir games as a drummer (djembe) and toured with Abafazi beNgoma to Mpumalanga to perform with Mama Nothembi who put Ndebele music in the map. Then in 2019, I travelled to the Nerthelands with Abafazi Bengoma.
MEET JULIET
Juliet is a performer and entertainer who studied B.A in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand. She later on joined Abafazi Be Ngoma which to has led being part of the tour around the Netherlands and Belgium. She is also currently performing around South Africa.
MEET NKHENSANI
Nkhensani Kubayi is a professional artist with loads of experience in the performing arts as a dancer, singer, marimba player, drummer and percussionist. She has travelled the world and is part of a ten day ride, creating cancer awareness around the country every year with an organisation called Cancervive. She is a hard worker and is very passionate about her work.
MEET LEBO
My name is Livhuwani Beverly Mawela, mostly known as (LEBOLOVE_MKZ), born August 29, in the streets of Katlehong (East Rand). I started performing at the age of 11 years then professionally at the age of 19. Shows I've done so far include; Africa Umoja, Umshado, Sarafina, Abafazi be Ngoma, World Choir Games, I am also part of the Netflix series "JIVA" among others. I have travelled to 8 countries so far and still hoping to travel more.
Currently I am working with Abafazi be Ngoma Original and we are busy with a project with Ntate Sello Maake Ka Ncube and also will be doing a show at PACOF Theatre in Bloemfontein. I Livhuwani, would love to see myself grow more in the industry and also give back to the community.