In Defence of the Vuvuzela…
…it actually sounds pretty good in the hands of those who know how to play it.
The above video is of the Vuvuzela Orchestra, practicing in private and then performing at the South Africa vs USA game in Novemeber 2007. (Tip of the hat to this Pitch Invasion post where I spotted the video).
More importantly, I watched the Egypt vs USA game yesterday with precisely zero vuvuzela induced pain. Mostly because I forgot they were even there.
Maybe that was because I spent most of the game doing maths in my head (goal difference, goals scored, etc) or maybe because I couldn’t quite believe what was happening (are the USA really through to the semis?).
But most likely it was because I’d just gotten used to the sound after a week of watching (and listening to) the Confederations Cup. It was annoying to begin with, mostly because I wasn’t used to it. But five matchdays in, I’m 100% vuvuzela adjusted.
For a completely different opinion, read Chris’s Death to the Vuvuzela post.
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Comments
By MattyDub | June 22nd, 2009 at 4:34 am 
Not to mention that the South Africa game had double the volume, to be expected as home nation
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By J | June 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 am i think a majority of the complaints about the vuvuzela stem from the fact that it is a fun word to say, type and overall, a damn silly instrument. I look forward to World Cup high definition surround-sound vuvuzela madness in 2010.
Posted from 
United States
By Leon-Ben | June 22nd, 2009 at 7:38 am The other side of the coin:
By wob | June 22nd, 2009 at 8:06 am Why don’t the players buy earplugs, I don’t see why the FIFA wouldn’t allow it…
Posted from 
Netherlands
By Brad | June 22nd, 2009 at 8:17 am It seems like ESPN has turned down the crowd volume the past few games. I noticed in the Spain/Sa match it was much quieter than the Iraq/NZ game. They probably heard of the complaints, fixed it themselves, and now we all think we’re getting used to it.
Posted from United States
By Jack | June 22nd, 2009 at 7:52 pm It still sounds like mosquitoes farting to me. If the SA want to bring these things fine, but no commercialized plastic ones. I am sure plastic is not a part of African culture and the annoying horn is debatable to be actually part of the culture.
It’s just an annoyance like bubble-gum on sidewalks. If the tournament was held in Singapore whoever blows one would get a good caning.
Posted from United States
By Kingsley | June 23rd, 2009 at 4:40 am To racist Jack. Culture – the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group. By this definition, why wouldn’t the instrument be part of South African soccer culture? Is your definition of culture based on the composition of the actual instrument? You see I get your point, what you are trying to say is that it is inconceivable for Africans to make anything out of plastic. You think you are going to come here and abuse us like you do the blacks in America? YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING IF THAT’S YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT, REMEMBER, YOUR ARMY ISN’T COMING…
By sandrahn | June 23rd, 2009 at 5:41 am It is NOT racist to despise the vuvzela — a lot of South African hate it too and wouldn’t mind seeing it banned at all. The notion that hating the vuvuzela means you’re racist is ludicrous.
Posted from United States
By ban | June 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 am The Vuvuzela is an annoying plastic trumpet also known as a stadium horn that is constantly blown at all soccer/football matches in South Africa. It sounds like a deafening mix of angry elephants trumpeting, a swarm of buzzing bees and a fog horn. What can we do? Go to http://www.banvuvuzela.com/ Register with your name, country and email and then vote. Tell your friends and family to do so too. It is our intention to submit these votes to the relevant authorities who can do something about it. Together we can make our 2010 World Cup the best experience for all.
By Nick | June 23rd, 2009 at 11:51 am I don’t think what Jack said is the most nuanced, but the point he is trying to make is valid. It’s like saying Ramen noodles is a part of American culture. It is obviously not, but a commercial encroachment upon it.
The only racist comment (or at least condescending one) was from Sepp Blatter who implied Africans (in general) are (all) like that “noisy with an obnoxious culture” and Europeans (being all quiet and civil) have to adapt to that in Africa.
By Desmey | June 23rd, 2009 at 12:41 pm Well, it does seem like a very sensitive subject, but let me tell you it is not acceptable and I for one (about to buy tickets for the World Cup – from abroad) will have to think twice unless something gets done about this. Wasnt sure about sigining the banvavula website. Hoping it will work.
By Jack | June 23rd, 2009 at 7:50 pm Kingsley plastic is part of no ones’ culture. I know a lot of Africans who find the vuvuzela annoying. It’s a fact that I find Al Sharpton annoying too, but he doesn’t speak for all blacks, just as you do not speak for all South Africans on the subject of the mosquito horn. If SA wants the WC to be a success, then it should stop giving out free fart horns and start building roads and reducing crime. If world-class star players get robbed and in the case of Egypt raped, then what would happen to an average tourist?
Posted from United States
By J | June 24th, 2009 at 11:50 am really? you are arguing about a horn? if it annoys you, buy earplugs or turn the sound down on the TV. trying to justify you annoyance by specious arguments about culture is just embarrassing.
However, suggesting that the plastic vuvuzela is indicative of larger problems (violence, infrastructure) with SA hosting the WC is a little creepy. Perhaps we should just cancel the WC and have another safe European Cup in 2010? That way we wouldn’t have to go to noisy, dangerous, “backward” (oh, you forgot disease ridden) countries.
No one has a lock on soccer culture. Viva la vuvuzela! (i think i just wore out the V on my keyboard)
Posted from United States
By PC Nyambe | June 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pm ok we watch European games. they make their rhythmic sounds n all, others make this colored flames, while others do waves n all. all in all every continent has its unique way of cheering on their soccer stars. n as far as i know Africa happens to be a continent as well which 4 once in along time has been given the prevelage of hosting the World cup. dont ruin this 4 us. cause we celebrate the african way. if u dnt like it dont bother buying a ticket. LONG LIVE VUVUZELAS.
By Don | June 25th, 2009 at 3:16 am The horn stems from the African culture of blowing a Kudu horn to invite the whole community to a gathering. Whether to discuss community issues or to celebrate something or could be blown with a different sound when warning people of some dangers… Just like there is an alarm warning when a tornado is coming in the US. Maybe one will ask “why did they not write notices and paste them around?” And I can ask why people not write notices to say “Tornado coming in the next two hours so go home” LoL
To date that culture is somehow kept and celebrated. But it was embraced in football. By the way foot ball (soccer) is not a traditional African sport right? So why do we Africans border much about something that is not ours. Or in fact why do we say it is our culture while we blow plastic (invented in the west). Why are we not killing lots of Kudus (because they are our pets and galore) and use those horns instead of the beautiful western plastic (am not being personal Jack).
Complaints are understandable… as long as we put debate without attacking each other, is fine. We may agree to disagree… but we do not have to fight on this … just debate. Noise is noise and noise is annoying PERIOD!
But if you are an “American football fan” or football (soccer) fan, you will know that there is noise at the stadium. And when you go to play games everywhere, each team will chant their own song. Honestly not all songs are nice… most are insults…!!
It is worse though when a player is shouted at with words like monkey and thrown at with a banana like it happen in one country that I will not mention now … Oh! Well Spain it is… sorry about that. That kind of noise is really annoying.
I am not saying anti vuvuzela is racist. It is not and will not be, as long as Africans get annoyed because games in Europe are quiet and you sometimes feel like you are attending a meeting.
Can you imagine the energy and jumping around during a game in Europe during a chilli winter day with bit of ice rain drizzling…? Dancing under a tuneless vuvuzela could warm you up. LoL.
We can debate people, and let us debate. I know the noise can destruct you as a player during a game. I experienced it before. And hence I say let us debate about it. The problem is though we still lose (our games), the noise during games give us some courage to do well. But we still lose in anyway. I can imagine South Africa playing and watched by a quiet crowd… I bet the players will make some signs of “make some noise” just like we have seen Steve Gerald asking Liverpool fans to cheer them up when they came back from 3-0 again Milan in 2005.
Don.
By don | June 29th, 2009 at 10:44 pm I THOUGHT IT WAS MOSQUITOS AROUND THE CAMERA!!!
But no, it’s an ‘musical instrument’ that produces the mosquito sound – HOW ANNOYING!! BAN IT
Posted from 
New Zealand
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