Van Meter Hall rang with the music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Wednesday as the South African choral group shared its colorful harmonies and playful dances with hundreds of people at Western Kentucky University. 

The concert was the last event in the lineup for this year’s Cultural Enhancement Series, and it attracted many students who were looking for something fresh. 

Among them was Macy Lethco, a junior from Louisville. Lethco hosts a world music show every Tuesday for WKU’s student-run radio station, Revolution 91.7. She appreciated having a fun concert and “being able to connect with a group that has such a rich history and a story to tell.” 

Other students, like Tompkinsville freshman Chana Smith, knew very little about the a cappella group. Smith attended after her music appreciation professor offered extra credit. 

“He just told us to come to it, stay the whole time and enjoy the show,” she said. “I hope to go away with more knowledge of the culture.” 

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is more than 50 years old, according to the group’s official website. Older fans might know the group through American musician Paul Simon, who included their harmonies on his “Graceland” album. It’s also recorded with other musicians, such as Stevie Wonder and Dolly Parton, and produced material for Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America” and the “Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.” Young fans might know the group from the television show “Family Guy” or the movie “Mean Girls.”

The nine-member all-male group opened with a song from its first album, released in 1973. A group member explained the group’s mission is to sing about hope, tell stories and “sing about the past, present and future.” 

Several of the group’s songs captured the spirit of South Africa through stories, which were narrated by song and dance. One song told the story of a farmer missing a woman, who left him for the promise of the big city. Despite ridicule from those around him, the man kept faith that his love would return one day. She did, and the two got married. It’s a song that tells the larger story of South Africa. 

“Like us, the people of South Africa, we never lose hope about our country,” one group member said while describing the song. 

Many of the group’s songs featured layered harmonies with fiesty dances involving kicks and rhythmic clapping. However, the group’s warmth didn’t detract from its exploration of important issues, such as homelessness, the hardships of mine workers and South Africa’s struggle to overcome apartheid and make the “long walk to freedom,” as one song put it. 

Bryna Price, a graduate student studying social work at WKU, appreciated the event ahead of her plans to study abroad in South Africa this summer. 

“I always think it’s a great opportunity for the students to get exposed to different cultures,” she said. 

— Follow education and general assignment reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter at twitter.com/aaron_muddbgdn or visit bgdailynews.com.