Mapetle a Hukung

Mohapeloa first published ‘Mapetle a Hukung’ in Morija in 1939 as the ninth of 32 songs in Meloli le Lithallere tsa Afrika ka J.P. Mohapeloa: Buka ea Bobeli (African Songs and Extemporary Harmonizations by J.P. Mohapeloa: Book II). It is one of his best comic songs, the ‘food’ in question being alcohol: a potent home brewed maize beer (‘skokian’) mixed with brandy (‘gau fang’). The music pivots around two or three chords that give it a ‘Joburg township’ jazzy feel, notwithstanding the rural Lesotho setting of the song. The place Hukung, which the protagonists of the song were coming from, is also called Ha Mahlelebe.