uHadi is a traditional Xhosa unbraced musical bow instrument. The wooden bow is strung with gut or wire and attached to iSelwa (calabash) which resonates and amplifies the sound. The bow is played with uMqungu (a beater) made from a thin stalk of grass which is beaten against the string. In the Eastern Cape of South Africa, uHadi is known to be an instrument that is commonly played by married women. Men and children, however, do occasionally play the instrument.
“Players compose their own songs, often of a very personal nature. Bow players also include vocal communal songs in their repertoire like the beer songs, wedding songs, and dance songs amongst others”. Uhadi songs can vary between performances, with the exception of traditional ritual songs, which are not changed out of respect for their ritual significance” (Mandela, 2005).
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