uMagungqel’indawo is regarded as a Beer song (ingoma yotywala). “In traditional Xhosa culture there are two types of beer songs, there are songs that are sung by married men and unattached women at special beer drinking events like itimiti (tea meeting). Other beer songs are sung by married couples at etywaleni (place of beer). Some of the special beer songs are performed at work parties that are held after the people have completed a job that they were doing” (D Hansen, 1981).
In this song as “Umagungqel’indawo” (The social climber), a woman who is tired of her current social position aims to transcend it. An important dance accompanies this song to elevate the lyrical content and its gender connotations. The song has many different versions that are sung in different regions in the Eastern Cape, the text as well as the rhythm of the song often varies according to the region.
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