Sophie MgCina - Poppie Nongena (1983) Vinyl LP; South African Musical Soundtrack

Catalog Number:

HNBL-6301

Musical Styles:

1980s, Africa, Chorale, Ethnic Fusion, Gospel, Musical/Original Cast, Musicals, Spiritual, Traditional Folk, World Jazz

Sleeve Grade:

Excellent (EX)

Record Grade:

Near Mint (NM or M-)

Condition Details:

Import from France. Vinyl plays nicely; a few light hairlines (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; light-scuffing, surface impressions (front/back). Inner-sleeve is original (generic white). Spine is unbroken, clean and easy-to-read. Minor shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners. Bottom-edge partially unglued. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. Amen
2. Taru Bawo ["Prayer"] / Wenzeni Na
3. U Jehova / Poppie Uzubale ["Wedding Song"]
4. Makoti ["Train Song"]
5. Lalasana ["Lullaby"]
6. Jerusalem
7. Nkosi Sikelela Lafrica ["Anthem"]
8. Zisana Abantwane
9. Bantwana Besikolo
10. Liza Lisi Dinga ["Hymn"]
11. Mampond Mse
12. "Prayer" [Reprise]

About The Record:

Poppie Nongena, by Sophie MgCina, is a 1983 studio cast recording of the musical The Long Journey of Poppie Nongena, adapted from Elsa Joubert's 1978 novel Die Swerfjare van Poppie Nongena, which depicts a Xhosa woman's struggles with forced removals, migrant labor, and personal loss under apartheid. MgCina, a trailblazing South African artist, composed the music and lyrics, fusing Xhosa tribal sounds, traditional melodies, and hymns in Xhosa and English to convey resilience and protest. Featuring performers like Thuli Dumakude, Fana Kekana, and Seth Sibanda, the album reflects the 1980 Market Theatre premiere in Johannesburg, with later international acclaim in New York (where MgCina won an Obie Award) and at the 1983 Edinburgh Festival. As a significant anti-apartheid work, it amplifies the novel's real-life-inspired narrative of Black South African oppression, raising global awareness. Notable tracks like U Jehova: Poppie Uzubale (the wedding song) and Taru bawo/Wenzeni na stand out for their emotional and rhythmic power, though no conventional hit singles emerged.