Vuvuzela South Africa

Looks like the Vuvuzela belongs to the people of South Africa -  nobody owns the patent. The Vuvuzela remains in public domain. ( at least for the time being)

In an article in BizCommunity.com, Charl van Rooyen explains:

According to the records of the South African Registrar of Trade Marks, 40 trademark applications, by numerous persons and entities, have been filed over the past eight years for the registration of trademarks incorporating vuvuzela. These trademark applications are in relation to a wide variety of goods and services.

Since 2004 applications have been made for “plastic trumpets” and “musical instruments” but all of the vuvuzela trademarks are still pending, which means that now no single party can claim to be the registered proprietor of the vuvuzela trademark in South Africa.

So, I guess this means we can now relax and just enjoy the vuvuzela’s without trying to fight about “ownership”.

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Fifa 2010 World Cup Mascot Zakumi with Michael Jordaan, CEO of FNB.

I couldn’t believe it – I had just written the post about the Kuduzela and an email popped into my inbox with photos of this unsightly instrument being held by a big furry creature (not the guy with the orange tie, that is the CEO of FNB).

After I had recovered from my shock I realized it must be Zakumi, the official Fifa 2010 World Cup Mascot. According to the Fifa site ” One thing is for sure, Zakumi will be first on the dancefloor and last off it at the biggest party in the world – the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™

Now one thing about mascots;  they are really cute on stickers and badges and I can cope with them as soft toys, but when they become people-size they are just plain scary.

Anyway, I thought  everyone would like to see what First National Bank and South African National Parks have come up with:

Because the Kudu horn is steeped in African tradition, and sport is loved by so many, we believe that the Kuduzela will take pride of place in many a South African home, as well as at the centre of many South African future celebrations,says Michael Jordaan, FNB, CEO.

(I’m not even going to begin with that copy writing – the kudu horn, steeped in African culture? And oh wow,  yebo, yes! sport is truly loved by so many …but what the F@#$% has that got to do with this ugly black stick like thing taking pride of place in many a South African home? (many a ?  I ask you as I stagger off to make a cup of coffee).

And a word of warning to the good customers of FNB – you will stand in line to win one of 150,000 Kuduzelas if you make three or more Prepaid airtime purchases per month…

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Well, when you have a good thing, everyone want to jump on the bandwaggon – the latest is an invention called the Kuduzela. But this pretender won’t ever unseat the Vuvuzela.

- ok, I also laughed when I heard about it or in computer speak  I (rofl).

2010 Website

And behind this revolutionary and original invention is … ta, da … First National Bank, home of Shine2010, one of the most pro management/business/ lets see how much we can milk out of 2010- kind of websites around.

Anyway back to the kuduzela, which, according to IOL is … a new wind instrument shaped like a kudu horn, and was unveiled as a football icon that would be used for the 2010 Fifa World Cup and other sporting events in South Africa.

The initiative was a joint effort by First National Bank, the South African National Parks (SANParks), and the Kudu-Kudu Manufacturing plant.

A Football Icon ?

A football icon – I though Jomo Sono and Pele  and David Beckham are a football icons?

A Kudu Horn

“The Kudu horn, he said, emits a sound that some have called the “true sound of the savanna. However the kuduzela, up close and solitary, sounds like a trumpeting elephant and en masse the sound is more like a massive herd of elephants trumpeting and when there’s action near the goal mouth you will hear the elephants going really crazy,“ said Mabunda.

After I read this, I checked the date on the article again because I couldn’t believe my ears – 14 July 2009

FNB chief executive officer Michael Jordaan said it was evident that South Africa was capable of hosting “amazing” international events, as displayed in the recent Fifa Confederations Cup 2009.

“The kuduzela will not only give visitors a South African experience but a truly African experience as well,” he said in a statement.

No ways, these guys must have been eating funky maroelas or smoking some wicked DP.

Have they never heard of Vuvuzelas?

Have they never hear of Vuvuzela’s. No wait they must have, why else call a kudu horn a kuduzela?

And do they really think that they are going to impose this on the soccer public with their Vuvuzelas, nine months before 2010 kicks off?

I say, bring it on…

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The Vuvuzela is part of South African soccer and it is here to stay.

I found this local South African  blog this morning called Football is Coming Home.

(I have always thought it was home…) This blog, with the great Luthuli tagline has a few posts making it clear that the blog owners don’t like Vuvuzelas.

The one headed Vuvuzelas Originate in the United States - comes to the conclusion that Vuvuzelas started with a Chinese women’s basketball team? Duh….Ok, I’m also a bit confused, and all this insight into the REAL Vuvu history is related according to the opion of another blogger calling himself Blatant .

Blatant  a bad close encounter with Vuvuzela’ at a Confederations Match and relates his journey towards the game:

We arrived at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace full of cheer and merriment. We told jokes on the way and would slap our sides with hortelling, chortelling laughter. Yes, indeed we were a truly merry bunch, ready for an evening of (pointless) Confed. Cup fun. But it was not to be.

Now I may be cynical but I can almost say for sure that someone who uses words like cheer and merriment and hortelling, chortelling is NOT going to like Vuvuzelas.

Colorful Part of South African Soccer

I also remember  when Vuvus became popular. I remember the whole thing. I don’t really care if some spindoctor has invented a sexy history for them. I do know that over the past few years they have become a colorful part of South African soccer – the colorful part like the crazy wild outfits and the enormous supporter bases of Soweto clubs like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows.

Township Soccer Supporters

These township soccer supporters have been loyal to their clubs for generations; they go to matches every Saturday, on foot, by bus, trains, taxi any way they can. If you have watched a derby in the old Orlando stadium, you’ll know the hearts spirits of these true soccer fans.

If they want to blow Vuvuzelas at Africa’s first World Cup – nobody is going to stand in their way. Africa has made an enormous contribution to World Soccer and now it is the World’s turn to come and play at our place – with our toys.

WE’ll even teach them that Vuvuzela’s don’t just have one note!

(Note – both these blogs, have great soccer news – and I love the comments on the Vuvuzela posts)

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Some say it sounds a bit like and elephant or a swarm of angry bees, but to get those notes – yes you can get a whole range of notes from a Vuvuzela to come out strongly and clearly require lung capacity and flexible lips.

Do you know the expression “to blow a raspberry”? Well that’s just what you do with your vibrating lips pressed up against the mouthpiece of the plastic trumpets that are seen (and heard) at every football (soccer) game in South Africa.

According to southafrica. info: “ There’s uncertainty on the origin of the word “vuvuzela”. Some say it comes from the isiZulu for – wait for it – “making noise”. Others say it’s from township slang related to the word “shower”, because it “showers people with music” – or, more prosaically, looks a little like a shower head.

The announcement, on 15 May 2004, that South Africa would host the 2010 Fifa World Cup gave the vuvuzela a huge boost, to say the least – some 20 000 were sold on the day by enterprising street vendors.

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