Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: UShaka KaSenzangakhona is a work of about sixty minutes for choir, soloists and orchestra, composed by Mzilikazi Khumalo, orchestrated in 1994 by Christopher James and revised in 1996 by Robert Maxym. The composition is a setting of a Zulu text by Themba Msimang. The racial and cultural differences between UShaka’s three authors bring binaries into play that define certain aspects of the composition. UShaka’s main developmental trajectory (1982-1996) places it within a volatile political space and time in South Africa‟s recent history. Somewhere, hanging in an unstable balance between these diverse factors, exists a musical work that is struggling to find a voice. This thesis highlights these factors by critically evaluating two aspects of UShaka’s existence, namely its authorship and ownership under Khumalo, James and Maxym. This is achieved through thorough quantitative score analyses of the original composition and its two orchestrations. Results of the analyses are used to draw conclusions about the contributions of each of its three authors to the final musical product. By implication of the findings produced by the analyses, broader themes within South African musicology are touched on and highlighted in new and meaningful ways. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: UShaka KaSenzangakhona is `n komposisie van sowat sestig minute geskryf deur Mzilikazi Khumalo vir koor, soliste en orkes. Die werk is in 1994 georkestreer deur Christopher James en in 1996 hersien deur Robert Maxym. Die skrywer van die werk se teks is Themba Msimang. Die rasse- en kultuurverskille wat Ushaka se outeurs kenmerk bring binêre binne spel wat sekere eienskappe van die werk se bestaan definieer. Die komposisie se hoof ontwikkelingstrajek (1982-1996) plaas dit binne 'n ongestadige politieke ruimte in Suid-Afrika se onlangse geskiedenis. Ushaka sukkel om binne hierdie diverse faktore 'n stem van sy eie te ontdek. Die tesis vestig aandag op hierdie faktore deur 'n kritiese verkenning te onderneem van twee aspekte van Ushaka se bestaan, naamlik outeurskap en eienaarskap. Dit word behartig met deeglike kwantitatiewe analise van die bladmusiek van die oorspronklike komposisie asook beide orkestrasies. Resultate wat verkry word vanuit die analise word gebruik om gevolgtrekkings te maak gaande die bydraes van elke outeur tot die uiteindelike komposisie. By implikasie kan die bevindinge gebruik word om op nuwe en betekenisvolle wyses aan breër onderwerpe te raak binne die Suid-Afrikaanse veld musikologie.

This study explores the notion of female cultural difference in the context of dominant patriarchal and other oppressive patriarchal structures. Essentially, its focus is on deconstructing stereotypical images of women, who are often perceived as homogenous. Throughout the study I argue that as much as their sensibilities are varied, African and African American women respond differently to the oppressive conditions they find themselves in. The following selected texts provided the opportunities for exploring and evaluating the genealogy of female cultural difference that is central to my research: Anthills of the Savannah (Chinua Achebe); Scarlet Song (Mariama Ba); The Joys of Motherhood and Kehinde (BuchiEmecheta); Their Eyes Were Watching God (Nora Zeale Hurston); Bitches Brew and Seven Steps to Heaven (Fred Khumalo). In the process of analyzing these texts, I demonstrated that the notion of cultural difference is often narrowly and erroneously construed. I discovered that the protagonists in these texts are not only conscious of their oppressed condition but often adopt strategic agency to contest male privileges that silence them. In pursuit of this critical perspective, I have proceeded to apply relevant theoretical frameworks constructed by Cornel West, Hudson-Weems, Bakhtin and a conflation of others whose philosophical tenets support the major theoretical frameworks. The aforementioned literary critics have enabled me to come up with a more comprehensive and richer analysis of the set texts. In my analysis I have advanced the argument that female visibility manifests itself variously and temporally through individual and sometimes sisterly attempts at empowerment, self- definition and esoteric discursive features. I noted that all this is evidence of the nascent creative potential in African women who refuse to be silenced. In my analysis of the Seven texts I have incorporated, modified and developed some of the insights from critical thinkers who engage in the ongoing debate about female cultural difference. This approach has enabled me to come up with new insights that ferret out veneers of African women’s rich cultural diversity, in light of the ever changing nature of women’s operational spaces. It is this transcendental vision that basically informs and resonates with my study. / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)