USipho Mchunu edlala nomlungu kukubi!
UMNU uSipho Mchunu wazalwa ngonyaka we-1951 kanti njengezinsizwa zonke zendawo yaseKranskop naye wahamba waya eGoli eyofuna umsebenzi eneminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili. Wabamba amatoho njengomfana wasezingadini kanti wayelokhu ezwa ngomfana womlungu naye owayedlala isiginci, nokwenza ukuthi amthungathe aze amthole ukuze baqhuthane amakhizane. Ekumtholeni kwakhe wamcela inselelo yesiginci kwelinye lamakhishi eGoli. Lokhu kuqhudelana kwabo nomfana womlungu uJohnny Clegg (ongowokuzalwa eNgilandi) kwenza ukuba kuqale ubudlelwano beminyaka phakathi kwabo. Baqala ukudlala ndawonye bebizwa ngo “Johnny noSipho” nokwathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bagcina sebesungule iqembu abalibiza nge: “Juluka”. Leli qembu labo lalidlala umculo kamaskandi nombhaqanga.
Ukuqamba kwakhe amaculo esiZulu kamaskandi nombhaqamba axutshwe nesilungu kwenza umculo wabo weJuluka uthandwe kakhulu izinhlanga zonke yize kwakungesikhathi esibi senqubo yobandlululo. Lokhu kuduma kweJuluka kwenza yathandwa ngisho nasemazweni omhlaba.
Leli gama elithi “Juluka” kwakuyigama lenkunzi kaSipho Mchunu nayeyithanda kakhulu. Umfo kaMchunu uhlangana noClegg esevele esekwazi ukusina nokudlala isiginci owayekufundiswe insizwa uCharlie Mzila azihlanganela naye ezidlalela isiginci emgwaqeni. Ukudlala ndawonye kuka“Johnny no Sipho” kwenza uClegg azithole ephela isibhaxu samaphoyisa amaBhunu nayedinwa ukubona umlungu wakubo ezehlisa edlala nomuntu omnyama. Kwesinye isikhathi babezithola sebeboshiwe ngenxa yezinhlamvu zamaculo abo ayengafunwa uHulumeni kodwa yize beboshwe ndawonye babefakwa emavenini ehlukene ngenxa yemithetho yobandlululo.
Ngonyaka we-1976 iculo labo le“Woza Friday” laduma kakhulu nelalandelwa icwecwe labo le-Universal Men abalenza emva kweminyaka emithathu behlangene nokwakwenziwa ubunzima bokukwazi ukuhlangana ngenxa yobandlululo. Ngowe-1981 uMchunu noClegg baqhamuka nelinye iculo elithi“Impi” nelashisa izikhotha kanti akubanga sikhathi liphumile lavalwa ngenxa yokuthi lalitusa ukunqoba kukaZulu eSandlwana ecoboshisa amaNgisi ngejozi. Yize kunjalo kodwa iculo laduma kakhulu lidlalwa yonke indawo ngaphandle kwasemsakazweni. Leli culo lisetshenziswe kakhulu kwezemidlalo ukukhuthaza kakhulu amaqembu esizwe kuleli. Yilo leli culo elenza ukuthi bamenywe kakhulu phesheya nokwathi phakathi kuwe-1982 nowe-1983 bahambela e-Europe nase-USA.
E-England babhekana nenkinga oMchunu lapho inhlangano yabaculi iMusicians Union ibavala ngenxa yokwephula imigomo eyayivimbela abaculi bakuleli ukuba badlale phesheya kuze kube kuqedwa ubandlululo. Emva kokubonisana nale nhlangano nokuvumelana ukuthi imali abayenzayo inikelelwe izinhlangano zemiphakathi, baqhubeka nokuhambela amazwe aphesheya.
Ngowe-1985 uMchunu waqoma ukubuyela ekhaya eKranskop lase lihlakazwa iqembu leJuluka. UJohnny Clegg yena wasala wasungula iqembu elisha nalibiza ngeSavuka. Ngonyaka we-1997 uMchunu noClegg baphinda bahlangana baqopha ndawonye futhi yize lokhu kuhlangana kwabo kwesibili akubanga nedumela njengalokho kokuqala. UMchunu noClegg baduma kakhulu ngamacwecwe abo i-Universal Men, i-African Litany, i-Work for All neScatterlings.
Umfo kaMchunu uyibekile induku ebandla ngokuphakamisa umculo wesintu wase-Afrika. Siyamhalalisela kakhulu naye njengoba sesikule nyanga ebungaza ubu-Afrika!
