UMadala Kunene nezintambo zomculo
UKhumalo uqweqwe lombhali wamabhuku nemidlalo yomsakazo.
UMnu uMadala Kunene waziwa kakhulu njenge “nkosi yesiginci sesiZulu” ikakhulu phesheya kwezilwandle lapho ajwayele ukudlala khona nezinkakha zesiginci.
Uzalelwe eMkhumbane (Cato Manor) ngowe-1951 ngaphambi kokuba umndeni wakhe ube ngabokuqala ukuphoqwa bayiswe KwaMashu ngenxa yemithetho yengcindezelo yobandlululo. Yize azalelwa emndenini owawunezifundiswa kodwa yena wenqaba ukuchitha isikhathi esikoleni wakhetha ukuba iciko lesiginci. Uqale ukudlala isiginci olwandle eThekwini eneminyaka eyisikhombisa kanti isiginci sakhe sokuqala wazakhela yena ngethini likawoyela wokupheka. Akumthathanga isikhathi eside ukuba aziwe njengomdlali wesiginci elokishini kanti kwaba abangane bakhe abafana no Sandile Shange abamkhuthaza ukuba athathe umsebenzi wokudlala isiginci njengomsebenzi ongamphilisa. Walandela lezi zeluleko nokwathi ngeminyaka yama-1970s waqala ukudlala njengomshayisiginci okhokhelwayo nodlala izitayela ezahlukene. Ube nokusebenzisana okukhulu nenkakha yesiginci sebhesi uSipho Gumede futhi aziwa njengomshayisiginci ovuthayo.
UMadala ufudukele eGoli lapho afika wadlala nezinkunzi ezifana noDoc Mthalane eqenjini lakhe iSongamasu, ubuye wadlala noShor Philips, uMankunku Ngozi kanye noBusi Mhlongo. Kodwa-ke ngezikhathi zaphakathi kweminyaka yama-1970s uphoqelekile ukubuyela emakhaya ngemva kokuqubuka kodlame olwadala ekushisweni komuzi wakubo. Lokhu kwamphuca nethuba lokuyodlala phesheya kodwa akadikibalanga waqhubeka wathuthukisa owakhe umculo nendlela yakhe yokudlala isiginci. Ubezidlalela kakhulu emalokishini engajahe ludumo. Kuthe ngokukhuthazwa umngane wakhe uDuze Mahlobo, wavusa indlela yakhe yokudlala isiginci yeMadalaine lapho exuba khona umculo weblues nesoul ewudlala ngesintu uphelezelwa ukucula kwakhe kwesigqi sesintu, nokumenze wehluka kakhulu kubaculi abanye.
Wazithiba futhi wenqaba ukudlala ngendlela yesimanje yokukopela okwaseNtshonalanga yize abanye babethi akakulandele ukuze enze imali. Lokhu ukwenze ngoba engafuni ukuzwakala edlala njengabanye, efuna ukuba uMadala Kunene odlala umculo ophuma ngaphakathi kuyena. Uqhubekile nokugxila emculweni wesintu sakhe kanye nocula ngesiko lakhe. Lokhu kumenze wasigcinela izindaba zesintu nomculo wesintu obungakhohleka kalula ukuba ubengekho.
Icwecwe lakhe lokuqala waliqopha phansi kwe M.E.L.T. 2000 kanti laziwa nge “Kon’ko Man” (indoda enamandla) naliqophe ngowe-1995 ngokukhiqizwa uPops Mohamed kanye no-Airto Moreir. Leli cwecwe lalifake abangani bakhe abaningi njengo Zena Edwards (waseLondon), uSipho Gumede, uMabi Thobejane, uBusi Mhlongo, uMandla Mgabhi, uMandla Masuku, uJose Neto noFlora Purim kwabanye. Emva kwalokho wabe esejoyina ukudlala noMax Lasser umshayisiginci waseSwitzerland benza icwecwe leMadamax.
UMadala Kunene kumanje udlala umhlaba wonkana eshintshana esiteji nezinkakha eziningi emculweni. Uke waculela ngisho nowanguMengameli wokuqala kuleli uNelson Mandela. Namanje uKunene akehlukani nesiko lakhe futhi ukugcina kodwa ukuphathelene nalo.
Le nkakha iyo eyaziwa njengecomposer yomunye womculo wefilimu iYesterday (2004) neyaqokelwa i-Oscar Award, umculo wedocumentary iWorld Cup Soccer in Africa: Who Really Wins? (2010) kanye neJam Sandwich (2008). UKunene useke wahlonishwa njengeDurban Living Legend.