IBUYAMBO MEMBERS GIVE DEPARTED MEMBER A ROUSING SEND OFF

Dizu Plaatjies and members of the Ibuyambo Ensemble attended the funeral of PONKIE NGQULANA the former marimba player and percussionist of the group who started with them in 2004. Ponkie performed with Ibuyambo for about 3 years including their debut European shows in France.

The memorial to pay respects to the late member was organised by his family in Nyanga East and he was buried in Khayelitsha outside Cape Town on Saturday 8th February.




Ponkie (second from the right) here with some of the members during their visit to Reunion Island as part of the celebration of the freeing of slaves on the island.. All rights Songwrights Publishers (c)

The group gave him a send off with a Kudu horns chant song. They were joined by former student colleagues of Ponkie who knew him from the UCT College of Music.

Ponkie was a music teacher and former student of Dizu. He died in hospital last week after a short illness.