Figure 1. Different ways in which the Venda may sing tshikona, their national reed-pipe dance (transposed down a semitone). The brackets over groups of notes show how tones tend to be grouped within the compass of a minor third and/or a fourth: the grouping is related to the rhythmic pattern of tshikona. The figures indicate the number of semitones in each interval. D and E are the nearest equivalents to a scale that the Venda sing: singers do not complete the octave, but pause on the seventh tone or repeat the pattern. The names of one octave of reed-pipes are given.

To return, click 'Back' in the browser.