(CNN) In the modern world it's easy to lose touch with your roots. That's as true for Zulus as anyone else.

Take the students at Goede Hoop, a primary school 30 minutes outside of Johannesburg. Some of the girls here are Zulu, but they've never set foot in the Zulu kingdom. Their connection with their heritage is often limited.

However they're welcoming an ancient Zulu instrument into their lives. What they've found is a cultural touchstone to their past -- and a path to international success.

"It talks to your soul"

"When you look at a marimba you think of Africa," says Pops Mohamed. "It talks to your soul."