A RELIGIOUS row has erupted in South Africa over the playing of a plastic trumpet – known locally as a vuvuzela – at football matches.
When played by football fans, the trumpet is said to make a profoundly irritating noise. Some say it sounds like a swarm of wasps … or even an elephant farting.
Now an African religious group, the Nazareth Baptist Church, better known just as Shembe, is claiming that the vuvuzela belongs to them, and that it had been misappropriated by footie fans.
A young South African football fan sounds the vuvuzela
According to this report, they plan to launch a court action to prevent the trumpet from being played at this year’s World Cup, even though football’s governing body Fifa has given its backing to the instrument, which has become a part of South African football tradition.
The Shembe say they “lost” the vuvuzela back in the 1990s when a supporter of South Africa’s biggest football team, Kaizer Chiefs, visited the church.
Unable to take the long metal trumpet inside football grounds he re-modelled it in plastic.
A decade later it is set to become the most popular souvenir at the 2010 World Cup – which of course means there is money at stake.
The religion – founded in 1910 by Isaiah Shembe, who claimed to have special healing powers and a direct line of communication to God – is a loose combination of Zulu culture and Old Testament Christianity
Said church elder Reverend Goga:
Jesus was for Israel. We believe Isaiah Shembe is an African prophet and on a higher level than Jesus.
When played at Shembe gatherings the deep tone of the religious vuvuzela is said to be very different from the way it is played by football fans.
Said Shembe spokesman Enoch Mthembu.
We are very serious about this. Before the World Cup we are going to instruct our lawyers to stop them playing the vuvuzela. This thing [the vuvuzela] belongs to the church.
The Shembe’s pleas are likely to fall on deaf ears.
Despite the fact that there were complaints from both players and international TV broadcasters about the plastic trumpet at last year’s Confederations Cup, Fifa head Sepp Blatter has given the vuvuzela his backing, saying the sound is an important part of South Africa’s football culture.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
January 20th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Crumbs as a south african I gotta say – please ban the goddamn thing… It’s really unpleasant.
January 20th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I can only imaging the din such a thing makes.
As a footy fan – I hate the horrible “great escape” theme that is played by a group of England fans every international match.
Actually – I hate the England team too!
January 20th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn
January 20th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I agree with Ryan. It is an abomination. I am sure even God cringes when he hears one.
January 20th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I don’t know why the plastic trumpet should be an issue. The SA team will be eliminated early on, and with it the noise.
January 20th, 2010 at 11:27 am
My personal favourite, the cymbals, are very rarely utilised at football matches, despite their dramatic, resonating quality. I often play mine in the lounge when friends outstay their welcome.
January 20th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
So the religious are getting upset by what people choose to do with their own horn? Well, that’s a first I’m sure…..
January 20th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
The plastic vuvuzela came about in the 1990′s eh? Quite a trick then that I had one in the 1960′s.
January 20th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
It’s a pity that that church will probably not be able to claim control over the vuvuzela. If it did, it would probably prohibit playing of the “instrument” in all circumstances except those of its own specific uses. That woud have meant preventing the racket it makes on the streets of South African cities and towns when football fans blow it there, as they commonly do. All so childish.
January 20th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Isaiah Shembe = Ha! I be Messiah!!
January 20th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
“Oh, me name’s Isaiah Shembe, I’m the leader of the band:
We play the vuvuzela and the music’s something grand!
Oh, I am quite delusional, but no one seems to mind:
They think I raise the dead and heal the sick and cure the blind!”
(Tune: MacNamara’s Band, of course!!)
January 20th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
May I suggest a compromise?
If the xians endorse South African fans playing the vuvuzela, maybe they could try wooden football rattles during their church services.
The entire congregation could each have one and give it a twirl instead of droning amen.
January 20th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
What’s the big deal? Other churches’ clergy have been misusing theirr own holy horns for centuries, what with getting choirboys to blow on them
January 21st, 2010 at 1:44 am
Sepp Blatter?
January 21st, 2010 at 7:15 am
Is the holy horn what yawhey slipped mary?
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Yeah, I got your holy horn right here…