Award-winning scathamiya ensemble, the Kholwa Brothers, won a silver medal at the World Choir Games in South Korea.
The Gangneung City Choir Music Competition started on July 3 and ends on Thursday.
The Durban-based group competed in folklore a Cappella category won by the Karangturi Choir from Indonesia.
Speaking to Sowetan of South Korea, group leader Derek Mlambo said that winning the silver medal in a global event meant that skathami was among the respected traditional music genres in the world.
We are currently preparing for our performance on Wednesday at Gyeongpo Central Beach Square. We are looking forward to it because people are enjoying our performance. It means a lot to us as a group and for the genre on its own.
“[During our] Participating in the World Choir Games, we sang four songs. On Friday, we got results that we finished second in our class.
“A silver means a lot when you have to compete with the best from other countries. We had to bring the uniqueness of SA through skathami music and people enjoyed our performance,” said Mlambo.
Apart from participating in the World Games, the Kholwa Brothers were also chosen to perform in friendship concerts hosted at the four-country Gangneung City Hall. They shared the stage with groups from Taiwan, South Korea, and Vietnam.
“I am glad that being part of the global competition is a big deal for us. This will take our profile as a group to another level and promote skathism as a traditional music genre.
“Since we got engaged last year, the group is now well known and international doors are opening. We’ve always wanted it since we started singing skathamia. Finally, it’s time to shine like a bro’s retreat,” Mlambo added.
The group is due to land on Friday afternoon at King Shaka Airport in Durban.