Mbekezeli 1010 turns to grief on “Wabulala Ubaba,” a Maskandi song from “Lawufaka Ilunda” about losing a father.
The title is blunt, and the song treats its subject with care. Early write-ups describe contemplative traditional melodies that explore family loss, personal grief, emotional trauma, and the painful absence of a father figure. The song does not hurry. At three minutes and 34 seconds, it gives the story time to settle, and the Zulu delivery stays soft and steady. So the mood feels more like remembrance than anger.
It sits at track eight of 11, right after “Ushade Ngomlomo” and before “Inhliziyo Yami” with Somkhathi. That placement turns the second half of the album toward heavier, more personal subjects. The first half deals with love, pride, and promises, and this track brings in loss. “Wawukhona Yini” closes the set at 4:33, so the mood of reflection continues to the end.
The theme also has company in Maskandi right now. Sihayo and Shenge Wasehlalankosi released “Owabulala uBaba” earlier this year, and its writers have said it came from tears and heartbreak. Mbekezeli 1010 takes a different musical path, but the shared subject shows how often the genre turns to family and mourning. Maskandi has always been a place to say what is hard to say elsewhere.
For listeners who have lost a parent, a song like this can feel like company. It asks for a quiet room and some time, and it respects the weight of its subject.
Honour the fathers in your life with “Wabulala Ubaba” and tell us – what do you remember most about yours?
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