The Horn That Divided the World Cup

Summary

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99% Invisible – Episode Summary

Podcast: 99% Invisible
Host: Roman Mars
Episode Title: The Horn That Divided the World Cup
Date: June 16, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode explores how a simple plastic horn, the vuvuzela, became the symbol—and the source of international controversy—at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Roman Mars and reporter James Parkinson trace the origins, cultural significance, and global reaction to the vuvuzela, painting a portrait of how noise-making, sports fandom, and politics intersected on soccer’s biggest stage.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Contemporary World Cup Controversies

• The episode opens with Roman Mars highlighting modern discontent with FIFA, including exorbitant ticket prices and FIFA's ongoing reputational scandals ([00:28]).
• These recent issues serve as contrast to the episode's main focus—a more "quaint" controversy: the vuvuzela at the 2010 South African World Cup.

2. South Africa Wins the 2010 Bid

• Mark Gleason recalls the tension and drama as global dignitaries waited for FIFA's announcement in 2004 ([03:10]).
• The moment South Africa was chosen was significant, marking the nation’s return from apartheid-era isolation to global sporting prominence.

3. The Vuvuzela Arrives

• Before 2010, vuvuzelas were largely unknown internationally ([04:46]).
• When the tournament began, they became omnipresent—80,000 strong in the stadiums ([05:13]).

4. What is a Vuvuzela?

• A two-foot-long plastic horn that produces a single B-flat note ([05:13]).
• The sound was divisive: likened to “a giant swarm of angry hornets or a herd of distraught elephants” (Mark Gleason, [05:35]).
• The international TV audience and broadcasters struggled with the noise; networks tried to filter or cancel it out, and even players complained ([06:11], [20:22]).

5. Vuvuzela’s Origins & South African Football Culture

Colonial Roots and Black South African Identity

• Football was introduced by British colonizers but soon adopted and transformed into "a pillar of black culture" by the racially oppressed ([07:33]).
• Supporters' clubs became central to black communities, offering organization, a sense of voice, and communal pride—“a way to help organize themselves” ([08:18]).

Stadiums as Political Sanctuary

• Stadiums provided cover for oppressed groups to organize and protest during apartheid under the guise of football fandom ([09:57]).
• Noise-making (singing, chanting, and instruments) became a form of both celebration and resistance.

The Vuvuzela’s Personal Backstory

• Freddie “Saddam” Marquet claims to have invented the vuvuzela, tracing it back to a bicycle horn he modified as a child in 1965 ([11:59]).
• After trying out metal horns (eventually banned), he approached a plastics manufacturer to create a plastic version in 1989—naming it "vuvuzela," which he says means "welcome and unite" ([13:25], [13:34]).
• Despite his efforts, the horn was initially unpopular even at local games ([13:40]).

6. Vuvuzela Goes Mass Market

• In 2001, Masenkeredani Sports (led by Neil Van Skulkvik and Beville Bachmann) started mass-producing plastic vuvuzelas ([14:30]).
• They marketed vuvuzelas strategically: handing them out at games, partnering with clubs, and associating them with South African identity as momentum built towards the 2010 World Cup ([16:35], [17:31]).

7. International Reaction & FIFA’s Dilemma

• As the 2010 tournament approached, global media questioned allowing the instrument.
• FIFA President Sepp Blatter controversially defended the vuvuzela: “It is African culture… we have to allow them to practice their culture as much as they want to” ([19:18]).
• The device made World Cup television coverage divisive; even star players, such as Lionel Messi, blamed it for communication errors on the field ([20:22]).

8. Cultural Debates and the Question of Authenticity

• Critics viewed the vuvuzela as an invasive noisemaker with little heritage; supporters saw it as a symbol of South African football tradition ([06:43]).
• The vuvuzela became a battleground for debates about cultural authenticity, Africanness, and even Pan-Africanism.
• Some South Africans protested international appropriation and unsophisticated use by foreign fans ([21:56]).
• Other African nations questioned its use as a pan-African symbol since many had no horn-playing tradition ([23:10]).

9. Disputed Origins

• Multiple groups vied for ownership of the horn’s legacy—supporters claim indigenous animal horns as inspiration, while the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) accused Marquet of appropriating their horn, the "izibomu" ([24:31]).
• The British Museum and the UK’s National Football Museum now include the vuvuzela as a culturally significant artifact, crediting Marquet ([26:10]-[27:01]).

10. Aftermath: The Vuvuzela Banned, But Enduring

• The vuvuzela is now largely banned from major tournaments ([27:22]).

• For South Africans, it remains a marker of national identity and a unique memory of the 2010 World Cup ([27:40]):

  "I'm very glad that no future World Cup tournament will be blessed with the beautiful sound of the vuvuzela. That the sound will always remain South African." – Duane Jethro ([27:40])

11. Wider Tradition of Noise-Making in South African Football

The Makarapa (Decorated Helmet)

• Originated as a practical response to violence at games; became personalized, painted gear among supporters ([33:19]).

Repurposing Working Tools

• Fans brought wind-up sirens (like those used to signal shift changes in mines) and integrated miners' songs such as "Shosholoza"—which became an anthem for solidarity and resistance ([33:38], [34:19]-[35:08]).
• Nelson Mandela sang "Shosholoza" in prison; the song embodies both soccer and political struggle ([35:08]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The winning bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be organized in South Africa.” – Freddie “Saddam” Marquet ([03:52])
• “It’s been likened to a giant swarm of angry hornets or a herd of distraught elephants.” – Mark Gleason ([05:35])
• “My first wife divorced me because of soccer. I said, Chips is my first wife, you’re my second wife.” – Freddie “Saddam” Marquet ([11:27])
• “You know who should be blowing vuvuzelas? Qualified, skilled practitioners, Chiefs and Pirates supporters. That’s who should be blowing vuvuzelas.” – Neil Van Skulkvik ([22:12]-[22:18])
• “In all cultural heritage debates, origins and ownership are really important…You cannot claim a heritage tradition until you can claim ownership and a valid, persuasive origin story.” – Neil Van Skulkvik ([25:51])
• “I'm very glad that no future World Cup tournament will be blessed with the beautiful sound of the vuvuzela. That the sound will always remain South African.” – Duane Jethro ([27:40])

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Important Timestamps

• World Cup Ticket/Corruption Context: [00:28]-[03:10]
• 2010 Bid, Atmosphere, and Reaction: [03:10]-[04:23]
• Vuvuzela Emerges on World Stage: [04:46]-[06:43]
• South African Football Culture & Apartheid: [07:03]-[10:16]
• Freddie “Saddam” Marquet’s Story: [10:36]-[13:40]
• Mass Production and Trademark Issues: [14:20]-[17:14]
• Marketing the Vuvuzela: [17:14]-[18:33]
• International Outrage & Debate: [18:43]-[21:44]
• Debates on Authenticity & Appropriation: [21:44]-[23:10]
• Disputed Lineages & Legal Claims: [23:49]-[25:39]
• Vuvuzela as Cultural Heritage (Museums, Attribution): [26:10]-[27:01]
• Ban and Enduring Legacy: [27:22]-[27:40]
• South African Noise-Making Traditions (Makarapa, Sirens, Songs): [32:07]-[36:12]
• Mandela & Song "Shosholoza": [35:08]

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Tone and Takeaways

The episode is engaging, humorous, and at times poignant, mixing colorful anecdotes with critical reflection. It highlights how objects as unassuming as a plastic horn can ignite debates about identity, authenticity, and power, and how sound—both joyful and disruptive—can signify much deeper struggles and aspirations within a community.

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Final Thoughts

For South Africans, the vuvuzela was much more than a noisemaker; it embodied the nation’s history, fandom, pride, and desire to be heard on the world stage. While short-lived as an international phenomenon, the vuvuzela—and the wider culture of noise-making—remains a resonant part of South Africa’s sports and social tapestry.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

Mazda has been named Consumer Reports safest new car brand. It starts with our approach. Every Mazda comes standard with proactive safety features so you're more aware of what's around you, more focused on the road ahead and ready before problems ever start. Mazda More of what matters most to you. Go to mazdausa.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse or promote

[Roman Mars]

any product ever Invest in something that seemed incredible at first but didn't live up to the hype. Marketers know that feeling. They optimize for the numbers that look great like impressions, but then they don't see revenue. LinkedIn has a word for that bull spend. Instead, you can get the highest roas of major ad networks with LinkedIn ads. Cut the bull, advertise on LinkedIn, spend $250 and get a $250 credit. Go to LinkedIn.com invisible terms apply. This is 99% invisible. I'm Roman Mars. Every four years, dozens of football teams from around the world that's the soccer kind of football for our American listeners gather for a time honored tradition, the World Cup. And every four years, millions of football fans from around the world gather for another time honored traditional being mad at the World Cup. Partly, they're mad at the opposing teams. That's the fun kind of mad. But they're also mad at FIFA, the nakedly corrupt organization that runs the tournament this year. The main reason to be mad at FIFA is for outrageous price gouging. Their new dynamic ticketing system along with their blatantly self dealing resale market are causing ticket prices to skyrocket. The most expensive seats for the previous World cup final were were $1,600. When the first round of tickets for this year's final went on sale. The cheapest seats in the house started at a staggering $2790. Then they more than doubled in later rounds. For those who missed the pre sales, there's always FIFA's resale market where they take a hefty 15% cut from both buyers and sellers. Seats behind the goal for that final game were recently listed there for $2.3 million each. Last year also saw FIFA award a sycophantic peace prize to the sitting US President. The lead up to the 2022 tournament in Qatar had numerous human rights violations in the construction of the stadiums, reportedly leading to the deaths of hundreds of migrant workers. The cup before that was hosted by Russia in the wake of their annexation of Crimea. And in 2015, 11 FIFA officials were indicted for accepting over $150 million in bribes. So we thought we'd take you back to a comparatively quaint World cup controversy from plastic horns that were just too dang loud. Enjoy. In the spring of 2004, journalist Mark Gleason sat in the front row of a small conference room in Switzerland for a big announcement.

[Mark Gleason]

There was a dramatic buildup. There was a lot of tension. Everyone was on edge.

[Roman Mars]

The winning bid to host the 2010 FIFA World cup was about to be revealed, and South Africa was among the leading contenders.

[Mark Gleason]

I mean, they had all the top guns go to Zurich for that particular announcement. Mandela was there. Bishop Tutu was there. The former president de Klerk was there.

[Roman Mars]

South Africa wanted to be the first African nation to host the World Cup. They also wanted the tournament to be the start of a new chapter. During apartheid, the country was banned from the international sporting community. Now they were on the precipice of hosting soccer's biggest event. South Africans gathered in the streets of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to await FIFA's decision.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

I discover it with you. The 2010 FIFA World cup will be organized in South Africa.

[Mark Gleason]

You know, South Africa had come full circle in the sense of its horrible past and how it had moved on from being a pariah state and was now, you know, hosting the biggest event in world sport and very much part of the international family.

[Roman Mars]

The celebrations that erupted that day in Zurich were full of cheers and whistles, but also one notorious sound that came to define South Africa's World Cup. The sound of the vuvuzela.

[Narrator/Host]

Back in 2004, nobody really talked about vuvuzelas. Even people in the soccer world didn't know what they were.

[Roman Mars]

Reporter James Parkinson.

[Narrator/Host]

But six years later, by the time the first game of the tournament was underway, the vuvuzela was the hottest word in sports. The 2010 FIFA World cup is ready for kickoff and to the sound of 80,000 vuvuzelas.

[Roman Mars]

The vuvuzela is a two foot long injection molded plastic horn. It, it plays only one note, a B flat. And it gradually became a regular feature of South African soccer. But prior to the 2010 World cup, the rest of the world had never heard anything quite like it, and a

[Narrator/Host]

lot of people hated it.

[Roman Mars]

It's been likened to a giant swarm

[Mark Gleason]

of angry hornets or a herd of distraught elephants.

[Roman Mars]

So loud in the stadium with the vuhuzelas, it's ridiculous. It's not noisy. There's nothing irritating about this.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

There's nothing irritating. But at the end of it, for

[Roman Mars]

fans watching abroad, the constant drone of a vuhuzilla wasn't what the beautiful game typically sounded like. European soccer games or football games are often characterized by songs and chants bellowed by the supporters.

[Narrator/Host]

But the hum of 83 Vivisellas drowned out that type of crowd noise. The sound caused actual headaches for television broadcasters. French network TF1 opted to change their commentators microphones for a kind that would reject more background noise. Other networks chose to use special audio filters to try and eliminate the vivozella from their sound mix altogether.

[Roman Mars]

The controversy surrounding the vuvuzela was hard to ignore. It drew attention away from the players on the field and placed the focus on the crowd in the stadiums.

[Narrator/Host]

It also sparked a debate about the history of the vuvozella and its true origins. For critics, the vuvozella was a relatively new, mass produced noisemaker. But for supporters, they tended to think of the vuvozella as an instrument, a loud, attention grabbing sound that grew out of South Africa's rich footballing tradition.

[Duane Jethro]

In 1862, there's already documented matches that took place in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

[Narrator/Host]

That's South African football historian Peter Aleji.

[Duane Jethro]

And that is a year before the football association was even founded in England and before the first rules of association football were codified.

[Narrator/Host]

Originally, the sport was introduced by British colonisers seeking to impose their beliefs and values on the locals. But quickly South Africans embraced football and made it their own.

[Duane Jethro]

It's an interesting story whereby a colonial game really was transformed into a pillar of black culture by the racially oppressed.

[Narrator/Host]

The game was both affordable and accessible, becoming the sport of the black working class.

[Duane Jethro]

And when I use the term black, I'm referring to people who either are self identified or were later classified under apartheid as African, American, Indian or South Asian and colored or multiracial.

[Roman Mars]

Football was not held in high regard by officials. In the apartheid regime. Sports played predominantly by white South Africans, like cricket and rugby, were the ones that received political backing.

[Narrator/Host]

So as a way to help organise themselves, football teams formed supporters clubs. These were small but mighty organisations made up of fans from each city or town. Supporters clubs would hold fundraisers and hammer out travel logistics to away matches. And black supporters clubs in particular played a special role, giving black South Africans, who had no say in their government, a voice to shape their community.

[Duane Jethro]

Through the local team, members held elections for various positions in the supporters club. And also through their formal organization, they tried to influence the football club's internal affairs. And so the ability to campaign for office to achieve a kind of social honor and visibility by achieving these high offices was something that was highly valued, particularly in black communities.

[Roman Mars]

By the 1960s, supporter clubs existed all across South Africa and they made their presence known through the noise they generated on game days at the stadium. The crowd had gone wild.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

Just five minutes left to play and

[Narrator/Host]

it's Chief 2, Pitts University 2 playing

[Duane Jethro]

music at the grounds, chanting, singing, dancing, maybe insulting the opponents. This was something intensely pleasurable and entertaining.

[Narrator/Host]

During this time, political opponents of the apartheid regime were banned from gathering. It was one of the many ways the government tried to suppress the liberation movement. But football games and the noise and crowd that came with them made it harder to prevent black politicians from sitting together.

[Duane Jethro]

It provided cover in a way, by allowing activists to have conversations and even organize particular subversive activities. And in doing so, kind of undermining the white state's surveillance and censorship.

[Roman Mars]

The stadiums were a sort of sanctuary, a place where you could get rowdy and thumb your nose at the government, where you could fly the flag of the anti apartheid movement while rooting for your favorite team. It was also the place where you could hear one charismatic fan pick up his horn and make a sound that would soon be heard around the world.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

So myself, I'm an owner, I'm a founder, I'm a pioneer of the vuvuzela. It started by me.

[Narrator/Host]

This is Freddie Marquet.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

They call me Mr. Vuvuzela when I walk around.

[Narrator/Host]

Freddie actually prefers to be called Saddam, an edgy nickname he received during the Gulf war because he used to set off huge firecrackers at football matches. People would say it sounded like the Iraq war on tv. Saddam Marque is a soccer freak, or a superfan, as they're known in South Africa. The most passionate of football supporters, he loves the South African national team and his local club, Kaiser Chiefs. From Johannesburg, he can be seen at games wearing oversized yellow glasses, a jersey and a mining helmet, known as a Marco rapper painted in the team's colours. For Saddam, you might say football is life.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

My first wife divorced me because of soccer. I said, chips is my first wife, you're my second wife. Every day, every night, when I sleep, I sleep chips, I sleep soccer, I eat soccer, I talk soccer. I can't talk to you without talking about soccer.

[Narrator/Host]

In between all the soccer chat, I did manage to learn where Saddam grew up. The province of Limpopo, with his large family. His claim to the vivizela dates back to his childhood and a gift he received for his birthday in 1965.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

My brother called Solomon make, he bought me a bicycle. And that bicycle Used to have a hooter.

[Narrator/Host]

The hooter Saddam is referencing is a bicycle horn.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

That hooter. I've got it here. That is a bicycle hooter.

[Narrator/Host]

He'd bring that horn to local football games to support his team, but instead of squeezing the little rubber bulb at the end, he'd take that off and blow into the horn.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

I was doing that one to entertain the players, motivate them, encourage them to score in the stadium with this one. 1965, when I arrived into Indians back.

[Roman Mars]

Saddam liked the sound the detached bicycle horn made. He called it apala fala. When his local football club, the Kaiser Chiefs, was established in 1970, Saddam says he brought a number of other homemade horns to the game.

[Narrator/Host]

This included a large aluminium horn he called a Boogie Blast. The Boogie Blast was basically a long metal stick you could blow into. It was also a long metal stick you could beat someone up with. So stadiums eventually banned it. But by then, in 1989, Saddam says he met with a plastics manufacturer and asked him to make a plastic version of the Boogie Blast. This new instrument they created sounded similar,

[Roman Mars]

but it had a different name.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

I call it this one Vuvuzela.

[Narrator/Host]

Vuvuzela is derived from surlame.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

Welcome and unite. Same thing. Welcome and unite.

[Narrator/Host]

Saddam says he coined the name vuvuzela back in 1992, a claim he supports with photos of him blowing his many horns at football games in the 70s and 80s and a vuvuzela in the 90s. He also recorded an album in 1999 titled Vuvuzela Cellular. Saddam tried selling some of these plastic horns at football matches, but it just never really gained traction. Even at Kaiser Chiefs games, he would often be one of the only supporters in the crowd blowing a vuvozela.

[Roman Mars]

However, that slowly started to change when a company in Cape Town started mass producing their own plastic horns, which they also called of Uvuzela.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

The company's name is Masenkeredani Sports. The click is important because the name of the company is from isiscosa.

[Narrator/Host]

This is Duane Jethro. He studies South African culture and wrote about the history of the vuvuzela. Duane says that back in 2001, Nil van Skulkvig and his partner, Beville Bachmann got funding to get their business off the ground.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

Deep pitch, this idea of injection molding a horn to a certain size and a certain specification that would be easily used at football matches.

[Roman Mars]

Around the same time this new company was getting started, Saddam Makay says he approached Neil Van Skulkvik to tell him that he was the true inventor of the Vuvuzela. Saddam says he tried to strike a business deal.

[Narrator/Host]

Did you ever speak with Neil?

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

Neil VAN Yes, I speak to him. He promised me, it's Vuzela. I'm going to get a 5 franc out of Egypt of Zela, and I never get even a cent. But I didn't worry, I didn't complain. I said to myself, God is great.

[Narrator/Host]

We tried to track Neil Van Skalkvik down for an interview, but were unsuccessful. According to media reports, he denied ever meeting with Saddam Marquet in 2001.

[Roman Mars]

In interviews, Van Skolkvik didn't claim to be the inventor of the Vuzella, but he and his company assert that they did popularize it. Their version of the H was cheaper and safer, and that you couldn't beat someone up with one.

[Narrator/Host]

Actually, Roman, you technically could beat someone up with it, right?

[Roman Mars]

It just. It wouldn't hurt as bad.

[Narrator/Host]

Well, look, you know, we were at the forefront of developing the first plastic

[Duane Jethro]

version of a tin horn that used

[Narrator/Host]

to be used in, you know, football here in South Africa.

[Duane Jethro]

And because, you know, those horns were quite unsafe at the time, we saw

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

the gap in the market to produce a plastic version of that one.

[Roman Mars]

Initially, Van Skulkvik's company also struggled to sell their Vuvozellas, but that changed when they started to focus on the marketing.

[Narrator/Host]

The company handed out vuvozellas for free at football matches and partnered with some local clubs to get more of them into South Africa stadiums. It wasn't long before there was more interest in the Vivozella and sales started to grow. Soon the instrument could be distinctly heard at games across the country.

[Roman Mars]

Yeah, thanks very much, Rob.

[Narrator/Host]

Indeed, the second half are about to get underway. Stanton Fredericks on for Jose Macabo.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

So that's the change the chiefs have made.

[Roman Mars]

The Vuvuzela, effectively being a generic horn, meant that Van Skulkvik wasn't able to patent the design. But the word vuvuzela was unique, so his company got a trademark for the name.

[Narrator/Host]

And as South Africa prepared their bid to host the 2010 World Cup, Van Skolkvik and his company were ready to capitalise on the event. The company's efforts were designed to position the Vuvuzela as authentic, including its official slogan, the original sound of South Africa.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

They recognized that there was a marketing opportunity in having the Vuvuzela in the hands of important South African footballing officials, but also politicians that were trying to drum up support both locally and internationally for South Africa's bid. So what you saw was things like the gifting of vuvuzelas as diplomatic gifts on local stages. Politicians were handed vuvuzelas, etc.

[Roman Mars]

When FIFA announced South Africa's winning bid to host the tournament, the joyful celebrations included these plastic vuvuzelas.

[Narrator/Host]

The aggressive marketing worked in the lead up to the World Cup. The sound of South African football was inextricably linked to the vuvuzela. The instrument even appeared in national marketing campaigns fronted by prominent rugby players who'd been called in to promote the 2009 Confederations Cup, a sort of test run tournament for the World Cup.

[Roman Mars]

We're behind the FIFA Confederations Cup.

[Narrator/Host]

The Confederations cup was the first time a global TV audience had been exposed to the vuvuzela. Not long after the first game, the international debate started taking off.

[Roman Mars]

One thing that I found, I don't know if I'm the only person I found excruciating, was this constant droning. Oh yeah, is going on. They're growing these like, trumpet looking.

[Narrator/Host]

I don't know how they have enough

[Roman Mars]

air in their lungs and it never ends.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah.

[Roman Mars]

And it is just, it is like you are being attacked by a swarm of locusts for 90 consecutive minutes. I know exactly what you're talking about. How can they constantly do that? I don't know. I don't know if they take turns, but it is. Media reports were quick to raise concerns about the vuvuzela's potential impact on the World Cup.

[Narrator/Host]

Sepp Blatter, the beloved and totally non controversial FIFA president, was asked if the vivozela was going to be banned at the upcoming World Cup. To the surprise of many, he came out in support of the instrument, saying, it is African culture. We are in Africa and we have to allow them to practice their culture and as much as they want to. Here's journalist Mark Gleason again.

[Mark Gleason]

It struck me at that point that, that, that that was the turning moment, because I do think it was a bit of an issue for FIFA whether the vuvuzela was going to be part of the 2010 World cup or not. It's a moment I remember very distinctly and thinking to myself, this is, this is the vuvuzela. Now we will have the vuvuzela in 2010.

[Roman Mars]

From the moment the World cup kicked off, the vuvuzela was a constant and persistent presence. From the atmosphere in the stadiums to the jokes on late night tv, it was inescapable.

[Narrator/Host]

While broadcasters were trying to mitigate the Noise on their end, DIY solutions were making their way around the Internet. One of them involved routing your TVs audio through your computer and using software to remove the particular frequencies of the vuvozela.

[Roman Mars]

And as the tournament continued, players on the field cited the vuvozela for causing communication problems. Lionel Messi, regarded by many as the best player in the world, even went so far as to blame the noise for his team conceding a goal.

[Narrator/Host]

The complaints were even enough to inspire a study from the South African Medical Journal. It measured the vivozella's sound levels, which peaked at 131 decibels. That's as loud as a jackhammer or a jet engine. It concluded that prolonged or regular exposure could cause noise induced hearing loss.

[Roman Mars]

There was no middle ground with the vuvuzela. You either loved it or hated it.

[Narrator/Host]

Most of the Vuvozella outrage came from a very Eurocentric perspective. It was an argument about what was considered appropriate in football fan culture, which Duane Jethro says was an attack on the idea of Africanness.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

It raises old, old ideas of Africa as a dark continent, cultural forms from Africa as being primitive or outdated, etc. And I think that's how the outrage was received in South Africa. And it was in that space that not only the South African Football association, but also South African fans started to speak back and speak out and to say that this is how we represent ourselves in our sporting traditions and sporting fan culture.

[Narrator/Host]

While the Vivozoa was condemned by international audiences, it's also true that many visitors to South Africa embraced it. For comedian Trevor Noah and plenty of other South Africans, the appropriation was the problem.

[Mark Gleason]

In South Africa.

[Narrator/Host]

We should have a thing where you have to have a license to blow vuvuzela. You can't just come here not knowing

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

vuvuzu etiquette, blowing it randomly. The English fans, the Spanish fans, middle

[Narrator/Host]

of the day, There they are. 9am what are you doing? It's so much fun.

[Roman Mars]

It's wrong.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

It's the wrong people.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

You know who should be blowing vuvuzelas?

[Narrator/Host]

Qualified skilled practitioners, chiefs and pirate supporters.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

That's who should be blowing vuvuzelas.

[Roman Mars]

There's no doubt that for thousands of South Africans, the vuvuzela was an expression of national identity. But as the first African nation to host the World cup, the instrument came to represent more than just South Africa.

[Narrator/Host]

For viewers watching around the world, it represented the sound of an entire continent. And that was by design. FIFA and South Africa's organising committee marketed the tournament as Africa's World Cup. The slogan was Celebrate Africa's humanity. Even the official song of the tournament, which you'll surely remember, proclaims, this time is for Africa.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

This time for Africa.

[Narrator/Host]

And because the vivizela became such a huge focal point of the event, Peter Aleji says the instrument got wrapped up in all the iconography of the tournament too.

[Duane Jethro]

The government was keen on using it because it saw it as a symbol of, you know, Africanness. But there were also other African visitors who hated it, who said, you know, we have no tradition of horn blowing where I come from, so how is this supposed to represent Pan Africanism?

[Narrator/Host]

The Disneyfication of the tournament made the vivozela feel cheap, like the rest of the marketing around it. And with that cheapness came a certain skepticism about its authenticity.

[Roman Mars]

Despite the instrument being so criticized, people still wanted to claim credit for its existence. The disputes over its history and origin played out side by side with the tournament.

[Narrator/Host]

One story the press picked up connected the vivizela to the horn of the the kudu, a species of antelope. Historically, animal horns have been used in South African culture. But the theory linking the kudu horn to the vivizela was likely inspired by one supporter of the team Mamelodi Sundowns, who was known to bring the horn to football games. Here's researcher Duane Jethro again.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

While it is absolutely true that we have indigenous traditions of horn blowing in South Africa, whether and how we can trace the genealogy of the vuvuzela all the way back to those indigenous traditions, that's open to argument and debate.

[Narrator/Host]

Another claim came from the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe, who have a horn of their own.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

The Shembe Church operates in the Kusulu, Natal area. They have an annual pilgrimage, and during this annual pilgrimage they use a horn called the izibomu. When football fans were blowing the vuvuzela, they felt that the Holy Spirit that was generated by their horn had been appropriated. In this context of football atmosphere, the

[Narrator/Host]

Chambe first accused Saddam Makay of appropriating the Issun Bomu. They said he visited the church in the 90s and fashioned his own version in plastic when he wasn't allowed to bring the metal horn into stadiums. Saddam denies these accusations. The church threatened legal action initially against FIFA and World cup organisers before going after Nil van Skulkvik and his company. According to media reports at the time. The two parties eventually came to a settlement.

[Roman Mars]

All these claims regarding the origin of the vuvuzela are compelling in their own way. But it was the heightened context of the World cup tournament that raised the stakes in the ownership debate.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

In all cultural heritage debates, origins and ownership are really important elements and strands of being able to claim a certain heritage tradition. You cannot claim a heritage tradition until you can claim ownership and a valid, persuasive origin story.

[Narrator/Host]

Despite the lack of a straightforward origin story, the Vivozela is still considered cultural heritage, at least in the eyes of some institutions. The United Kingdom's National Football Museum and the British Museum both have vivizelas in their collections.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

So if we use the collecting principles of these heritage institutions as a guideline for how heritage is staked and made, then you see the Vuvuzela entering into that heritage narrative.

[Narrator/Host]

I mean, the British Museum is no stranger to stealing credit for cultural artifacts, but. But if you look up the Vivozella's listing on their website, there is only one origin story they recognize for me

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

to talk about this Vuvuzela, you make my day.

[Narrator/Host]

They attribute the invention to none other than Freddie Saddam Marquet.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

You make my dream come true. I'm feeling grateful because Vuvuzela is my baby.

[Narrator/Host]

Saddam's story is the closest thing the Vuvuzela has to an actual origin story. And unlike the noise that surrounded the Vivozela in 2010, his story, at its core, is simple. He loved his team, and he wanted to show his support for them as loud as possible.

[Roman Mars]

Today, Vuvuzelas aren't nearly as prominent as they were back in 2010. A few years after the South African World cup ended, FIFA turned around and banned them from all major tournaments, and several other major sports leagues have as well. But for Dwayne Jethro, that comes with a silver lining.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

I'm very glad that no future World cup tournament will be blessed with the beautiful sound of the Vuvuzela. That the sound will always remain South African.

[Narrator/Host]

Just a few months ago, the South African women's football team won their first ever Africa cup of Nations. When the team arrived at the airport, they were greeted by fans expressing their national pride through songs and chants. Saddam Marche was there too, blowing his Vivozella. There were no complaints about the noise. The fans just celebrated the way they wanted to celebrate.

[Roman Mars]

Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why drivers have trusted Progressive's name your price tool for years. Just tell Progressive what you want to pay and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Visit progressive.com to find a car insurance rate that works for you. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace is an all in one website platform that helps you stand out online whether you're just getting started or growing your business. It's got everything you need from securing your domain to building a professional side and showcasing your work all in one place. Bring your vision to life with AI powered design or curated templates plus flexible editing tools that help you create create something that truly reflects your style. No experience neither. Squarespace makes it easy to share your work, book clients and get paid with built in tools for scheduling, invoicing and email all in one place. I've had a Squarespace site Romanmars.com for 12 years or so and the key for me isn't that it was easy to build, although it was, is that it's easy to maintain. It never gives me any trouble at all. It's great. Head to squarespace.com invisible for for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use Offer code Invisible to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Summer always changes how you get dressed. You want pieces that feel lighter and more breathable, things that are easy but still put together. That's where Quince comes in. They focus on high quality essentials that feel and look amazing. Think breathable linen and soft organic cotton. And Quince goes way beyond clothing. They have custom upholstered sofas, ceramic cookware, premium bedding and more for your home. It's the kind of brand you end up recommending to everyone for everything. I recently went to London to launch the Hundred Objects series and the temperature variation was wild there. Like it was like high in the 50s and then high in the 90s. The fact that I brought my ribbed cashmere zip up like changed everything. I wore it underneath my clothes in the beginning of the week and it still looked put together, still look really good. And then when that temperatures got warm I could zip that thing, take it off and look good for the rest of the hot afternoon. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to quince.com invisible for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I-N-C-E.com invisible for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com invisible so much activity is required to keep a business running smoothly behind the scenes, and connectivity is the key to it all. AT&T business is built for exactly that. Helping small businesses stay connected with reliability they can count on. For small business owners, connectivity is not just a convenience, it's essential. It keeps operations moving, teams aligned, and customers supported. It can be the difference between everything running seamlessly in the background or becoming the thing that brings work to a halt. AT&T business Internet is designed to be a reliable provider, helping reduce friction and keep things running smoothly so businesses can stay focused on what matters Most. Powered by AT&T Business Built to Work. Get AT&T business@business att.com. So I'm back with James Parkinson and you've got another story about football culture in South Africa for us.

[Narrator/Host]

Yes. So a few other interesting details came up while I was working on this story and it has to do with that culture of noise making in the stadiums. And I'm dropping you a picture now so you can see what I'm talking about.

[Roman Mars]

So this must be Saddam make, who we heard from in the piece, who has that really great voice and a really great look to go with it.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

Yes.

[Narrator/Host]

This is Saddam of vivizal of fame. And in this picture he's decked out in all this gear, screaming his lungs out at a football match.

[Roman Mars]

He's wearing really large, comically yellow glasses and a helmet with all these different logos on it. And I see stickers of Kaiser Chiefs and even Orlando Pirates on it.

[Narrator/Host]

Yes. So what I want to talk about is that helmet, the makarappa, because that was another item like the Vivo zela that gained popularity during the World Cup. So the word makarrapa actually means scrapers. And scrapers is a reference to the migrant workers who used to move into cities like Johannesburg to work in the mines. People would say they scrape for a living. And so the story goes that a Kaiser Chiefs fan, not Saddam this time, went to a particularly rowdy game back in the 70s where he saw someone get hit in the head with a bottle. So naturally, for the next game, he thought, you know, I just, he was

[Roman Mars]

like, well, I should wear that helmet. Yeah, exactly. If all these people are wearing helmets, I should wear a helmet.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah, yeah. So this fan started painting these helmets in the team's colors and selling them at games and it became a thing. But this isn't the only connection between the minds of South Africa and noise making in the stadiums. Duane Jethro told me there's also this sound.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

It's a kind of alarm. It's a wind up alarm. It goes.

[Roman Mars]

Like an old air raid siren.

[Narrator/Host]

Exactly, yeah. And these alarms used to have this very specific use. It was the sound miners would hear for Their shift change at work. So fans would, you know, bring these handheld sirens to make noise at the games. And they were pretty popular in the 90s. Yeah.

[Roman Mars]

Cause these are working class fans. So they're bringing what they have on them, they're bringing their helmets, they're bringing their sirens that they use in everyday life.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah, they're picking up their helmets and these alarms and sort of repurposing them to reflect their lives as miners in the culture of South African football.

[Roman Mars]

Oh, I love that. I love that.

[Freddie Saddam Marquet]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Host]

And one of my favorite examples of this is that they repurposed a work song they would sing in the mines that fans would then sing, you know, loudly at games. And it's called Shosho Loza.

[Neil Van Skulkvik]

And you sing it. It goes something like. I don't know the words properly, but that's. That's how the. The rolling beat goes. It's the kind of song that you sing when you really want to rouse up the crowd. And South Africans across the board know the song, and it speaks to migrants moving from different parts of southern Africa to come and work on the mines.

[Narrator/Host]

So Shostilaza, this traditional miner song, actually became quite popular in the 90s. People refer to it as South Africa's second national anthem. It was sung in a call and response style by the workers to kind of, you know, generate a rhythm and also to alleviate stress from working long, hard days underground. Shoshaloza means go forward or make the way for the next man. And famously, Nelson Mandela spoke about how he would sing this song while he was imprisoned on Robben island off the coast of Cape Town, along with, you know, many other political prisoners, and the ways in which the song reflected the struggle during apartheid.

[Roman Mars]

I mean, it reminds me of something that you mentioned in the piece that, you know, these games and the noise that surrounds them. I mean, yes, it's about sports and a game and about leisure and fun, but it's also like a certain amount of political resistance just built into the fact that there's people singing along loudly in a stadium, they're playing instruments, and there's this way to make noise for your team. But also let the powers that be know that, you know, we're all here and there's a bunch of us and we're all here.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah, we're here. And, you know, we're really loud, and we're going to let you know.

[Roman Mars]

Well, thank you again, James. I mean, this was such a cool, fascinating history, and I'm so glad that you shared it with us.

[Narrator/Host]

Thanks, Darman. Anytime.

[Roman Mars]

That story Originally aired in 2022. It was produced by James Parkinson and edited by Jason De Leon, mixed by Martin Gonzalez. Music by Swan Rial with additional music provided by Freddie Saddam Macay. Fact checking by Graham Hacha Kathy Tu is our Executive Producer. Kurt Kohlstedt is the Digital Director. Delaney hall is our Senior Editor. The rest of team includes Chris Berube, Emmett Fitzgerald, Christopher Johnson, Lashma Dawn, Vivian Leigh, Joe Rosenberg, Kelly Prime, Jacob Medina, Gleason, Talon and Rain Stradley and me, roman Mars. The 99% invisible logo was created by Stefan Lawrence. We are part of the SiriusXM podcast family now, headquartered six blocks north in the Pandora building in beautiful uptown Oakland, California. You can find us on all the usual social media sites as well as our own Discord server. There's a link to that as well as every past episode of [e-mail]. Lysol is known for proven disinfection and today it also delivers a clean that smells great, including a lavender scent. Lysol Disinfecting Wipes All Purpose Cleaner Spray and Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner clean and kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. The all purpose cleaner can be used on hard non porous surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. Disinfecting wipes help clean everyday surfaces like remotes, tablets and smartphones. And the Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner disinfects both the toilet brush and bowl for two in one disinfection. Don't just clean Lysol clean. It only happens every four years and this time it's here. The biggest tournament in the world. Stadium shaking, flags waving. This is history and you want to be there. But real life can make it tough. Work, busy schedules and the price. That's where Priceline comes in. Priceline has millions of deals on flights, hotels and rental cars so you can go see it live. So find a great deal and make the trip happen. Rally the crew. Go see the game live. Turn your dream trip into reality. Book now with Priceline

[Narrator/Host]

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[Roman Mars]

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[Narrator/Host]

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