Enter The Noisy Vuvuzela

Football fans in Ghana have been familiar with a number of musical instruments which they, or others, have used to accompany the songs they sing in support of their teams at various stadia. These instruments have, in the main, comprised gong-gongs, whistles, drums and an assortment of locally assembled percussion instruments. Since the last world cup, however, a new instrument has found its way into the hands of a number of Ghanaian supporters. Maybe not so new - it has been popular in South Africa for the last 15 years or so. It is called Vuvuzela. Many Ghanaian football fans who went to watch the last World Cup football tournament in Germany found themselves face-to-face for the first time, with this instrument they had seen played on television many times when South African teams played. Some were so fascinated by the Vuvuzela that they were actually willing to “beg, steal or borrow” to lay hands on them. A few succeeded.Perhaps they did not need to try so hard. A company, Jelani Ghana Limited, has now brought into the country, a whole range of Vuvuzelas - different sizes, colours and tones - and from now the mode of football fan support in Ghana may not be the same again. According to Mr. Ken Ohene Sam, Director of Jelani, he had also been impressed by the Vuvuzela during his business trips to South Africa. “It dawned on me that the manner in which Ghanaian football fans supported their teams was rather low key,” he said. “My idea to introduce Vuvuzelas on a large scale in Ghana is to let people enjoy it.”The Vuvuzela, according to Mary Alexander, a South African journalist, is an instrument, but not a musical one. Describing the atmosphere in a stadium packed with thousands of fans blowing their vuvuzelas is difficult, she says. Up close it's an elephant, sure, but en masse the sound is more like a massive swarm of very angry bees. And when there's action near the goal mouth, those bees go really crazy. To get that sound out requires serious lip and lung strength, and a fair amount of technique. Be sure to get in some good practice before attending any South African football match, or you may produce a sad little sound provoking accusing stares and much shuffling away from you in the seats! It is said that the earliest form of vuvuzela was the kudu horn, blown to summon African villagers to meetings. Later versions were made of tin.