Yingwana Khosa (Portland) is a traditional Tsongan dancer and drummer originally from Soweto. At 10, Khosa began studying drum and dance with the Mzumba Dance Troupe, a dance company that performs traditional drumming and dancing from tribes all over South Africa. He has also performed with the Ringling Brothers.
Bio
Yingwana Khosa is a traditional Tsongan dancer and drummer born in Soweto, South Africa. A member of the Tsonga people, a Bantu ethnic group, Khosa grew up in a musical family. He explains, "When you are born in a house of music, you eat it, you sleep it, you dance it. It's in your veins; it's in your blood." Khosa’s grandfather, a master drummer, hosted traditional dance celebrations every weekend at his home in rural Gazankulu. When Khosa was seven, his grandfather gave him his first drum. The young Khosa, who did not know how to play, took lessons from one of his grandfather’s friends who told Khosa to practice a particular pattern every day. He soon became good enough for his grandfather to invite him to play on stage. When he was 10, Khosa’s grandfather died, and he returned to live with his parents in the city. During a visit to the Heia Safari Ranch, he encountered Mzumba, which performed dance dramas every Sunday. Khosa was entranced and asked to audition. After two weeks, Mzumba accepted him as an apprentice dancer. Khosa also started studying with one of the group’s drummers and eventually started performing with the troupe. On his visits home, he still enjoys performing with the group. In 1976, the South African apartheid government exiled Khosa for his participation in the Soweto Student Uprising. He found refuge in Bulgaria, Cuba, and finally the United States, where he joined the Tampa-based Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus on their worldwide “Best of Africa” tour. Khosa performed with other groups for many years before settling in Oregon. Today, he shares his stories, songs, and dances with elementary students all over the Portland area.
