Benjamin Tyamzashe

Benjamin John Peter Tyamzashe (5 September 1890 - 4 June 1978) was a South African Xhosa music composer, teacher, principal, choir conductor and organist.

Early life Tyamashe was born in Kimberley, Cape Colony, on 5 September 1890. Tyamzashe was the fourth of seven children of Reverend Gwayi Tyamzashe, who was an early missionary of the congregational church, and Rachel MacKriel who was of Scottish-French descent. When his father, the Reverend Gwayi Tyamzashe died in 1896, Rachel returned to her family in Mafikeng and sent Tyamzashe and his siblings to the Eastern Province (known since 1994 as the Eastern Cape) to be raised by their paternal uncles.

Education Tyamzashe received his primary school education at Peelton Mission School near King Williams Town. As Tyamzashe came from a musical family, he learned to play the organ from the age of 10. His uncles also exposed him to Xhosa traditional music from an early age. He attended the Lovedale College in Alice from 1905 to 1909, where he obtained a Primary Teacher’s Diploma. He was also a member of the male choir at the Lovedale College during his time there. He continued to study and obtained a Senior Teachers Diploma as well as a Drawing Teachers Diploma between 1913 and 1923. In addition Tyamzashe completed a correspondence course with the Tonic Solfa College in London. He matriculated in 1939 and attempted to study a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of South Africa however, he did not proceed with this due to the death of his wife.