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Vuvuzela

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A red vuvuzela.
A black and yellow striped vuvuzela.
Vuvuzela note
A standard short (58cm) vuvuzela plays a single B♭ note.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The vuvuzela (/vuːvuːˈzeɪlə/, also known as lepatata (its Tswana name) and stadium horn, is a typical 65 cm (2 ft) plastic blowing horn that produces a loud, distinctive monotone (B♭3) note. A similar instrument, known as the corneta, is used in Brazil and other Latin American countries. Many types of vuvuzela, made by several manufacturers, may produce varying intensity and frequency outputs.[1][2] The intensity of these outputs depends on the blowing technique and pressure exerted.[1]

The vuvuzela is most used at football matches in South Africa.[3] It has become a symbol of South African football as the stadiums are filled with its loud and raucous sound that reflects the exhilaration of supporters.[2][4] The intensity of the sound caught the attention of the global football community during the 2009 Confederation Cup in anticipation of South Africa hosting the 2010 World Cup,[4] though its frequent usage during sporting events raised health and safety concerns.

The vuvuzela has been the subject of controversy. Its high sound pressure levels at close range can lead to permanent hearing loss for unprotected ears after extensive exposure.[5][6] A study found the maximum sound output varied between 113 and 131 dBA.[4] In response to the controversy, a new model has a modified mouthpiece that reduces the volume by 20 dB.[7] However, international commentators, players and audiences call to ban vuvuzelas at football matches.

Origin

The vuvuzela was first used in Mexican stadiums since the 1970s.[8] Originally constructed using tin, the vuvuzela became popular in South Africa in the 1990s. Freddie "Saddam" Maake claims to have invented the vuvuzela by adapting an aluminium version in 1965 from a bicycle horn after removing the black rubber to blow with his mouth. He later found it to be too short and joined a pipe to make it longer. Maake has photographs of himself in the 1970s and 1980s at local South African games and international games in 1992, 1996 and at the 1998 World Cup in France, holding the aluminium vuvuzela. He says the instrument was banned as authorities ruled it as a dangerous weapon that prompted him to find a plastics company that could manufacture it.[9]

Plastic trumpets similar to the South African vuvuzelas became popular as early as 1978 in Argentina, during the FIFA World Cup that took place that year in Argentina.

In 2001, South Africa-based company Masincedane Sport began to mass-produce a plastic version.[10] Neil van Schalkwyk, the founder and co-owner of Masincedane Sport, won the SAB KickStart Award in 2001.

Origin of the term

The origin of the name vuvuzela is disputed. It may have originated from Zulu for "making a vuvu noise," directly translated "vuvu-ing" because of the "vuvu" sound it makes, or from township slang related to the word for "shower".[10]

In early 2010 members of the Nazareth Baptist Church claimed that the vuvuzela belonged to their church, and threatened to pursue legal action to stop fans playing the vuvuzela at the World Cup.[11]

Use at international tournaments

The vuvuzela was brought to international attention during the run-up to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, both hosted in South Africa. In 2005, prominent South African columnist and former sportswriter Jon Qwelane described the vuvuzela as "an instrument from hell" that had caused him to abandon watching live games, and urged that it be banned before the 2010 World Cup.[12] The world football governing body, FIFA, expressed concerns that hooligans could use the instrument as a weapon and that businesses could place advertisements on vuvuzelas, in violation of FIFA regulations.

In July 2008, FIFA ruled that vuvuzelas would be allowed at the Confederations Cup,[13] after the South African Football Association (SAFA) made the case that vuvuzelas were essential to an authentic South African football experience.[14] FIFA President Sepp Blatter was opposed to banning the instrument, saying, "we should not try to Europeanise an African World Cup."[15]

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

Prior to the start of the Confederations Cup, Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk and Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso called for a ban, with Alonso saying that the horns make it hard for players to communicate and concentrate while adding nothing to the atmosphere.[15][16]

During the Cup, some football commentators, players, and international audiences argued against the use of the vuvuzela by fans. After the Cup, FIFA received complaints from multiple European broadcasters who wanted it banned for the 2010 FIFA World Cup because the sound drowned out the voices of the commentators. Despite the protests, FIFA decided that the instrument would be allowed at the World Cup the following year,[17] albeit only instruments shorter than one metre in length.[18]

2010 FIFA World Cup

A user blowing a vuvuzela at a football tournament.

As part of its marketing campaign for the World Cup, Korean automaker Hyundai and a local South African advertising agency called Jupiter Drawing Room created the largest working vuvuzela in the world—114 feet (35 m) long—on an unfinished flyover road in Cape Town.[19] The giant vuvuzela is powered by several air horns attached at the mouthpiece end, and it was intended to be blown at the beginning of each of the World Cup matches; however Reuters reported that by 18 June 2010, a week into the World Cup, it had not yet sounded a note during the tournament because of a dispute between the operator and the city authorities over its noise levels.[20]

During the opening ceremony the announcer had to ask fans using vuvuzelas to be quiet as he could not be heard.[21]

On 13 June 2010, the BBC reported that the South African organising chief Danny Jordaan was considering a ban of the vuvuzela during matches.[22] Jordaan noted that "if there are grounds to do so, yes [they will be gotten rid of]" and that "if any land on the pitch in anger we will take action."[22] On 15 June, it was reported that 545 complaints had been made to the BBC concerning the noise being made by vuvuzelas during coverage.[23] BBC is reportedly considering an alternate broadcast stream that filters out the ambient noise while maintaining game commentary.[24] [25] During the event many competitors have criticised and complained about the noise caused by the vuvuzela horns, including France's Patrice Evra who blamed the horns for the team's poor performance.[22] He also claimed that the sound of the vuvuzelas away from the stadiums hampered the ability of the players to get their rest.[26] Other critics include Lionel Messi who complained that the sound of the vuvuzelas hampered communication among players on the pitch,[27] and broadcasting companies, who complained that commentators' voices were being drowned out by the sound.[26] Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo went on record to state that the sound of the vuvuzelas disturbed the teams' concentration.[28]

Others watching on television have complained that the ambient audio feed from the stadium only contains the sounds of the vuvuzelas and the natural sounds of people in the stands are drowned out.[29] A spokesperson for the ESPN network said it was taking steps to minimize the noise of the vuvuzelas on its broadcasts.[30] There are some that see their use during the performance of the national anthems as disrespectful.[31][32] Other critics have also noted that it is seen as disrespectful to be "dismissive of the cultures of the guest team supporters".[33] The World Cup organizing committee chairman, Danny Jordaan, said on 14 June 2010 "the vuvuzelas are being evaluated on an ongoing basis and that a ban is an option if there are grounds to do so."[34]

Some vuvuzelas carry a safety warning graphic.

Vuvuzelas have also been blown outside of matches, leading to a ban by some shopping centres.[35][36] Some World Cup football players complained that they were being awoken in their hotel rooms by the instruments.[37] Demand for earplugs to protect from hearing loss during the World Cup[38] outstripped supply, with many pharmacies running out of stock. Neil van Schalkwyk, manufacturer of the plastic vuvuzela, began selling earplugs to fans.[39]

Technical measures

Various technical measures have been proposed to reduce the impact of the vuvuzela sound on the clarity of commentary audio. The instrument produces notes around the 235Hz (mostly) and 465Hz frequencies and filtering these frequencies out might limit the noise in broadcasts.[40] This is called notch filtering.

Notch filtering may have a side-effect of reducing the clarity of the commentary, so some university groups[41][42] and companies[43][44] have published adaptive filters which attempt to quiet the vuvuzela sound while preserving the amplitude and clarity of the commentator's voice and the crowd.

Bans

In the wake of the 2010 World Cup the vuvuzela has been banned from a number of stadiums and events, including tennis matches at Wimbledon[45] the Cardiff City, SWALEC and Millennium Stadiums[46], the Melbourne Cricket Ground[47], and baseball games at Yankee Stadium.[48]

Controversy

The use of vuvuzelas by so many supporters has attracted controversy.

Vuvuzelas have been controversial.[14] They have been associated with permanent noise-induced hearing loss[49] and cited as a possible safety risk when spectators cannot hear evacuation announcements[50], and they may spread colds and flu viruses on a greater scale than coughing or shouting.[51][52] Vuvuzelas have also been blamed for drowning the sound and atmosphere of football games.[53][54] Commentators have described the sound as "annoying" and "satanic"[12] and compared it with "a stampede of noisy elephants",[55] an elephant passing wind,[56] "a deafening swarm of locusts",[57] "a goat on the way to slaughter",[58] "a giant hive full of very angry bees",[59] and "a cow being given a surprise enema".[60]

Some commentators have defended the vuvuzela as being an integral and unique part of South African football culture and say it adds to the atmosphere of the game.[61][62] BBC sports commentator Farayi Mungazi said the sound of the horn was the "recognised sound of football in South Africa" and is "absolutely essential for an authentic South African footballing experience". He also said there was no point in taking the World Cup to Africa and then "trying to give it a European feel".[63] The Daily Telegraph's chief sports reporter Paul Kelso described critics of the vuvuzela as "killjoys" and said they should "stop moaning".[64]

In response to criticism of the horn's use, President of FIFA Sepp Blatter commented, "I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound. I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?"[65]

On June 19, 2010 at a Major League Baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium, the first 15,000 fans were given miniature vuvuzelas as part of a promotion. Widespread criticism from fans and players could possibly lead to a ban at MLB events.[66]

References In Media

  • The American Television show The Soup on E! Entertainment Television has regularly poked fun at the vuvuzela on several episodes since the beginning of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
  • For comedic value, since the onset of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the American television network Adult Swim has overlapped a soundbyte of the vuvuzela's distinct buzzing with several of their commercial bumps. The network has even gone as far as placing a bump entitled Adult Swim presents: Fifteen Seconds of Vuvuzela into regular rotation.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Swanepoel, De Wet; Hall III, James W; Koekemoer, Dirk (2010). "Vuvuzela sound measurements" (PDF). South African Medical Journal. 100 (4): 192. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b "SAB moves to protect vuvuzela". Fin24. May 19, 2004.
  3. ^ "V is for Vuvuzela". FIFA. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  4. ^ a b c Swanepoel, De Wet; Hall III, James W; Koekemoer, Dirk (2010). "Vuvuzela – good for your team, bad for your ears" (PDF). South African Medical Journal. 100 (4): 99–100. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Swanepoel, D Wet; Hall III, James W (2010). "Football match spectator sound exposure and effect on hearing: A pretest-post-test study". South African Medical Journal. 100 (4). Cape Town. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "10 things about the vuvuzela". BBC. 15 June 2010.
  7. ^ "New vuvuzelas turn down volume". Sport24. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  8. ^ "Vuvuzelas: made in Tepis". Milenio Diario. June 15, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  9. ^ Moyo, Phathisani (January 8, 2010). "Vuvuzela Creator Blown Off?". Mail & Guardian.
  10. ^ a b "Vuvuzela: SA football's beautiful noise". SouthAfrica.info. Retrieved September 9, 2008.
  11. ^ Fisher, Jonah (16 January 2010). "Unholy row over World Cup trumpet". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  12. ^ a b 'Ban the vuvuzela' News24/Sunday Sun
  13. ^ "Fifa gives Vuvuzelas thumbs up". 11/07/2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b Makhaye, Chris (July 13, 2008). "Blasts of joy as vuvuzelas unbanned". IOL.
  15. ^ a b "Dutch coach joins chorus to ban vuvuzela". ESPN Soccernet. June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  16. ^ "Fifa to discuss vuvuzela future". BBC SPORT. 18 June 2009.
  17. ^ "FIFA give vuvuzela green light for World Cup". July 17, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
  18. ^ "FIFA verbiedt lange vuvuzela's" (in Dutch). June 10, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  19. ^ Rawlinson, Chris (8 June 2010). "Hyundai: Cape Town Giant Vuvuzela". Retrieved 2010-06-13.
  20. ^ Hudson, Alexandra (18 June 2010). "Giant vuvuzela waits for council go-ahead to toot". Reuters Africa. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  21. ^ "FIFA World Cup 2010: Opening Ceremony Kicks Off Tournament in South Africa - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  22. ^ a b c "World Cup 2010: South Africa ponders vuvuzela ban". BBC Sport. June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  23. ^ "BBC receives 545 vuvuzela complaints over World Cup". BBC. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  24. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5287552/ce/us/bbc-mulls-vuvuzela-free-option-viewers?cc=5901&ver=us
  25. ^ "BBC mulls vuvuzela-free option for irked viewers". AP. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  26. ^ a b (AFP) – 9 hours ago. "AFP: World Cup organiser mulls vuvuzela ban". Google.com. Retrieved June 13, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ DPA. "The Hindu : Sport / Football : It is impossible to communicate, it's like being deaf: Messi". Beta.thehindu.com. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  28. ^ "Ronaldo hits out at vuvuzelas | Radio Netherlands Worldwide". Rnw.nl. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  29. ^ Valenti, Elio (June 13, 2010). "Buzz off, vuvuzelas!". New York Post.
  30. ^ "Organizers consider silencing vuvuzelas". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  31. ^ "Could the Vuvuzela Be Banned From World Cup? at". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  32. ^ "Raucous vuvuzela here to stay: Sport: Sport: 2010 World Cup: Tournament News". Sport24.co.za. 2010-06-07. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  33. ^ "Vuvuzela drowns out diversity of soccer songs". Times LIVE. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  34. ^ "Noisy Vuvuzelas Cause Concern at World Cup". Voice of America. Retrieved 2010-06-18. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |ver= ignored (help)
  35. ^ No vuvuzelas inside Sandton City Eyewitness News
  36. ^ Shopping mall silences vuvuzela IOL
  37. ^ WORLD CUP 2010: Vuvuzelas are here to stay - so show them some respect, insist tournament chiefs Daily Mail
  38. ^ Luphert Chilwane (2010-06-11). "Worried fans right to seek ear plugs, says Phonak at". Businessday.co.za. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  39. ^ Vuvuzelas unplugged for some Sport24
  40. ^ "How to Silence Vuvuzela Horns in World Cup Broadcasts". Lifehacker. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  41. ^ Drury, Jim (2010-06-18). ""Devuvuzelator" reduces horn's noise". UK: Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  42. ^ "Trumping the trumpets: how audio engineering helps tone down vuvuzela disruption" (Press release). Queen Mary University of London. 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  43. ^ "Prosoniq Vuvux". Prosoniq. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  44. ^ Jeff Bargmann. "The Devuvuzelator". Stardock. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  45. ^ Summers, Chris. "Wimbledon crackdown on vuvuzelas". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  46. ^ "Sports fans in Cardiff spared vuvuzela". Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  47. ^ "Vuvu gets big no-no from AFL". Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  48. ^ "Vuvuzelas BANNED From Yankee Stadium". Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  49. ^ "World Cup horn risks permanent damage to hearing: study". Associated Press. June 8, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  50. ^ "Are vuvuzelas a safety risk?". IOL. May 27, 2010.
  51. ^ Snyman, Mia (June 10, 2010). "Study: Vuvuzela could spread colds and flu". Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  52. ^ Presence, Chantall (June 10, 2010). "SPCA worried by vuvuzelas". iafrica.com. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  53. ^ "Vuvuzela drone killing World Cup atmosphere - World Cup News - FOX Sports on MSN". Msn.foxsports.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  54. ^ Rogers, Martin. "Buzzkill: Vuvuzelas ruining World Cup experience - International Football - Yahoo! Sports". G.sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  55. ^ "The World Cup noise that annoys". Sydney Morning Herald. June 4, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  56. ^ "BBC News - 10 things about the vuvuzela". BBC Online. Tuesday, 15 June 2010 12:20 UK. Retrieved 19 June 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  57. ^ Clarke, Liz (June 6, 2010). "World Cup ready to open in South Africa and vuvuzelas will make plenty of noise". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-06-11. several coaches and players called for its banning, saying the din made it impossible to communicate on the pitch. Others claimed the vuvuzela posed a health hazard, stood to overwhelm TV broadcasts and was annoying, to boot. Why play the beautiful game, detractors asked, amid such horrible noise?
  58. ^ Makhanya, Mondli (May 30, 2010). "Nothing kills the joy of soccer like a bunch of wailing vuvuzelas". The Times. Retrieved 2010-06-11.,
  59. ^ Brunt, Stephen (June 11, 2010). "The happy chaos of Soccer City". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2010-06-11.,
  60. ^ Knox (June 20, 2010). "What's all the noise about? In a word, vuvuzela". Times Colonist. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  61. ^ Matjila, Tsepho (June 14, 2010). "Hands off our Vuvuzelas". Sport24. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  62. ^ Khanyile, Slindile (June 14, 2010). "Vuvuzela gives reverberating feel to soccer". Business Report. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  63. ^ Mungazi, Farayi (June 19, 2009). "In defence of the vuvuzela". BBC Sport. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  64. ^ Kelso, Paul (June 14, 2010). "World Cup: Hoooonnnk! Its time for killjoys to stop moaning and embrace the vuvuzela". Telegraph Blogs. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  65. ^ "Vuvuzelas defended via Twitter by Fifa boss Sepp Blatter". metro.co.uk Sports. June 14, 2010.
  66. ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100620&content_id=11390614&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
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