The Click Song

Not to be confused with The Click (song) or The Click (band) ยง Discography.

"Qongqothwane", also known as "The Click Song" by Anglophones, is a traditional song of the Xhosa people of South Africa. Click consonants from the Xhosa language are characteristic of the song as an extended vocal technique. The Xhosa title translates to "knocking beetle", which is a name for various species of darkling beetles colloquially known as "tok tokkie" due to their method of attracting mates that include distinctive knocking sounds from tapping on the ground. In Xhosa oral tradition, these beetles guide lost children to home. The song compares a knocking beetle and an igqirha, which is a traditional South African healer or diviner who can preside over marriage rites, vows, and incantations. Due to this, the song is sung at weddings to bring good fortune in guiding couples to new lives.

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