Definitions
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A kind of danceable music popular among black South Africans; it includes a whistle among its instruments.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun South Africa A style of music first played in the
townships whose principal instrument is thepenny whistle .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a kind of danceable music popular among black South Africans; includes a whistle among its instruments
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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They were in "police vehicles, some in private cars, some in … big vans called kwela-kwela's and some in smaller ones" driving up the main road.
'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005
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It is a great loss to music lovers, especially jazz followers, some of whom were almost addicted to his marabi and kwela music, and to cultural activists generally.
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It is a great loss to music lovers, especially jazz followers, some of whom were almost addicted to his marabi and kwela music, and to cultural activists generally.
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It sounded like someone was throwing coins and dice on the table and, amid a lively conversation, out came the words "here comes kwela kwela".
News24 Top Stories 2010
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(Jeremiah 20: 9) ayos to sir a!!! ginawang happy song ang sandman ang kwela e mismong metallica nag-perform ng piece ... di ko na makontrol ang aking GAS. kung kelan nawalan ng pagkukuhaan ng pera ngayon matindi ang gas.
TALK @ PhilMusic.com - The Online Home of the Pinoy Musician 2010
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The latter track is reminiscent of the popular kwela instrumentals of the previous decade, except that the whistle has been usurped by the electrified sounds of keyboards, angular lead guitar, and driving bass.
PopMatters Richard Elliott 2010
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(Jeremiah 20: 9) ayos to sir a!!! ginawang happy song ang sandman ang kwela e mismong metallica nag-perform ng piece ... di ko na makontrol ang aking GAS. kung kelan nawalan ng pagkukuhaan ng pera ngayon matindi ang gas.
TALK @ PhilMusic.com - The Online Home of the Pinoy Musician 2010
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Mbaqanga (referring to a type of cornmeal or porridge but generally understood to mean "homemade") was the name given to the type of popular jive music that emerged in the townships of South Africa in the 1960s as a development of the pennywhistle (or kwela) music of the 1950s.
PopMatters Richard Elliott 2010
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Graceland, though echoes of its lilting South African kwela music are heard on
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All the biggies are here from the colourful group which rose in the 80s to provide a wonderful mish-mash of 50s SA urban styles, contemporary pop, kwela, African jazz, marabi and Sophiatown big band swing.
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