Table of contents
In 2025, and in previous years, “Xigaza” is a term used to describe electronic Xitsonga music.
What is Xigaza?
In Xitsonga, Xigaza means the way of the Gaza people.
Join us as we take a musical journey through history to understand the roots of the most popular Xitsonga genre currently in South Africa known as:
- Xigaza,
- Tiremix,
- Marimba,
- Ta le Gigini,
- Ta Makwhaya,
- Tsonga Electro,
- Shangaan Electro,
- Xigaza xa Ma2k, and many more…
Read more:
Vatsonga vs. Machangani
Why?
See, Vatsonga ruled the lands with key trade routes that linked the mainland to the Indian Ocean trade network. Moreover, they had the best natural deep-water ports in Southern Africa. See, during these times, land was the currency of the day. He who controls the land, controls the people. As history tells us, the Europeans wanted to rule the land by all means.
After many years war, the Europeans stopped fighting amongst themselves for land as they were losing white bodies in numbers. So, they turned the locals against each other using politics. The Europeans became the security companies of the time. They applied the cause and cure strategy to stage land wars while providing security against the war, only if you signed with them. Many minority groups jumped at this deal; it was their best chance to retain their homes, which they could not defend especially with the influx of Rozwi, Karanga, Ndzau, and Nguni breakaway groups there to reestablish themselves on their land. The European deal: sign a treaty, fly our flag, and we will give you free guns, but bullets sold separately.
If anyone dares a ku nyanyukela, we will back you up.
See, the people of Gasa were amongst the groups that emerged from present-day Zimbabwe into the Vatsonga country. The people of Gasa first settled in Musapa, they did not have the military might to hold the lands they wanted in Mozambique, the Tsonga Big Boys forced them to flee to the Ndzau country. However, unlike the others, the people of Gasa returned to the south having made a deal with the British South African Company to destabilize the Portuguese strong hold known as Maputo. When they re-entered Mozambique, the Portuguese offered them a deal to destabilize the Tsonga Big Brothers in exchange they will give them land, and of course, protection from the British, Dutch, and French.
What they did not anticipate is that the leader of the people of Gasa was a master politician. He knew how to organize power. He used the Europeans against each other to grab land without resistance as they were banking on his success, so they can swoop in when the coast is secured and claim his newfound territory as protectorate under their crown. However, Soshangane lit a wave of raids and wars that caused displacements and crippled the economic network of Vatsonga and the Portuguese. See, Soshangane’s business model was simple. He offered Vatsonga protection against him — sign or die.
And to the Portuguese, he offered death.
Fast-forward… The tyrant falls after a solid run.
The Gaza Kingdom is a headache to the people of the land and the protectorate economy.
However, Hosi a yi ti pyali, and so as it goes… his sons, Mawewe and Muzila split up the family business over identity. Mawewe identified as uNguni and saw Vatsonga as slaves while Muzila, born of a Tsonga mother, favoured an equal society between the Nguni and Vatsonga.
So, a war erupts between the Vatsonga and Nguni (Machangani) people over the identity of Gaza Kingdom, giving birth to our identity crisis as we know it today. One faction was fighting to enslave Vatsonga while the other wanted to assimilate with Vatsonga. And who won? No one. The results of the war were unresolved identity issues. Others called Machangani brothers. Other’s Rulers. Other’s Invaders. Other’s In-laws. Other’s Heroes. Other’s Enemies.
The Rise of Gazankulu
Fast-forward to the 1940s…
The Afrikaners are in power, and the homelands are coming.
The ruling clans of the people of Gasa from Mozambique are now scattered amongst the Vatsonga of the Union of South Africa, powerless, and living next door to the very people they displaced back in the day before the new borders. Now speaking a dialect of Xitsonga. The days of isiNguni being the language of the court and Xitsonga being the language of trade are over.
English and Afrikaans are now the languages court and trade.
Then the homelands came…
The Afrikaner didn’t want to get involved in our identity politics, thus, our own spaces to figure it out while they do big boy things. While everyone got their homeland, were stuck in negotiations. The people of Gasa under the leadership of Thulamahashe wanted their own Nguni homeland. Vatsonga were okay with this, but the government wasn’t. There is no budget for an extra homeland, especially for people who stood in their way to extend into present-day Mozambique. Also, during Nghunghunyane’s reign the people of Gasa used to stage raids to massacre European in their camps. White people were terrified of them. This beef runs deep.
So, they denied them a homeland and put the people of Gasa under the political administration of Vatsonga of South Africa since they speak the same language as them. The people of Gasa were not pleased, the Vatsonga of South Africa aided Mzila against Mawewe to weaken them as a Kingdom. And now, they have political power over them.
Kings and Chiefs evolved into politicians and began politicking for power and the cut of the lions share known as Gazankulu. They were given modern courts to decide the fate of their ancient past. A map had to be drawn. A new identity was the only way out. The new leaders of the homeland of Gazankulu then forged a political coalition of Vatsonga-Machangani. As part of the negotiations, the people of Gasa got the naming rights of the homeland, and Vatsonga got the naming rights of the language — “fixed”. The people of Gazankulu went on to call themselves Magaza who speak Xigaza and listen to Xigaza. This was the sauce of their time, as it is in 2025.
The Birth of Xigaza Music
The music of the homeland was from the likes of Samson Mthombeni and Khatisa Chabalala, simple folk music on a record. One take music. In a group format. One male lead with a guitar and three wives who play drums, called Gaza Sisters or Gaza Queens. That was the look for our people in music. The leading man dressed in modern clothes while the wives are in traditional regalia. See, polygamists were the big boys of this time. They could afford commercial music and electronics, which was a luxury for people who were trying to find their feet as Samora Machel was staging war against the Portuguese in Mozambique.
Record companies of the time used two labels for traditional music of the homeland:
- Tsonga Traditional Music,
- or Shangaan Traditional Music.
But it was the same music, of the same genre, for the same market.
Enters George Maluleke into the scene
It’s the 80s…
George Maluleke unknowingly originates what we call Xigaza today…
