Ntomb'Yelanga

Ntomb’Yelanga (Thobekile Mbanda)- is a band leader, guitarist, vocals and indigenous instruments player.
She is a conceptual artist, community activist and uses music as her medium and muse. Centring her work around the preservation, promotion and development of indigenous instruments and music fuels her current project, Songs of our Ancestors. Among her trajectory of creative pursuits: in 2014 Mbanda wrote and produced while in Barbados a play about Princess Magogo the Rise of A Star, she currently works at Art for Humanity as Project Manager, has performed locally and internationally, and is constantly developing her repertoire for working with young people and the intersection of music, learning, decolonization and freedom.

She focuses on the exploration of cultural music, knowledge systems, knowledge of the instruments songs and dances with the idea of presenting it back to the community.

Exploration of ancient sounds - how sound (ingoma) is a language, a memory and a dream we bring to life through intergenerational connections and sound dialogue and venture into the role of the body as a living archive of these sounds.

What is our spiritual wealth as Afrikans? how do we engage in nation healing through sound and traditional instruments creating a soundscape that connects us with our ancestors
Umnombo wohambo laKwantu. Recent Noteworthy Performances:
● DUT - an LGBTQI+ Awareness campaign
● Art for Humanity - Artist Talk Series- Umnombo
● Durban ICC Legotla Conference
● The Chairman
● Retro Bazaar at Phansi Museum
● Moses Mabhida Staduim - Pan Afrikan Conference
● Sutton Park - Black Sundays Afrikan Market