I am very interested in the spiritual side of music now more than I've been in years. Something I have observed in churches when we worship -

[Smallanyana Thread]

Took me a while to get into the Hillsong type of gospel music, still, it's as if I have to hear the song a couple of times first before I can truly connect with it. I have to learn the lyrics and memorise them before I can confidently close my eyes in worship and concentrate...

...on ukudumisa. Izingoma zamapostoli, zamaZayoni, icilongo - that's an entirely different ball game. Don't know if it's just my observation but Umoya runs through a church like a mexican wave. People cry, kunababhodlayo, kunabawayo, and others see visions. Not to say that...

...that doesn't happen with Hillsong BUT the difference is just phenomenal. When I started with this observation I thought maybe it's just the language barrier. Later though I realised it's not that. Kunomoya ohlukile with izingoma zesintu (in all "indigenous" languages)...

Compared to English songs. This also applies to Urban American Gospel songs we sing in the church. The English never matches up to izingoma sung in our languages. Why is this? Does Umoya react differently to language? Does the history of the people and the writers connect?