Vuvuzela – 2010 Football World Cup host nation’s secret weapon

by Tamas S. Kiss Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

It’s a South African invention, the plastic version of the Kudu horn. It has become an indispensable accessory for football fans and is now taking the world by storm.

Medical experts in South Africa have warned tourists and fans, coming to support their teams in the world biggest sport spectacular, to take extra special precautions and wear adequate ear plugs as the noisy wind instrument is capable of producing a at least a deafening  85-decibels of noise.

In chorus the noise can accumulate to reach at least 140-decibels, which is almost the equivalent of standing behind the engine of a Boeing 747. During the month-long tournament, when South Africa is the center of the world, spectators will learn a whole new vocabulary of new words, including the vuvuzela, which the locals say is “Ayoba” (cool).

Fans of Hungary’s most popular soccer team Ferencvaros FC have reportedly also placed orders for hundreds of white and green vuvuzelas in the hope of bringing their team back to their former glory.