While I cry for spirits yet to be born
The demised burden my heart
with spent and unrepentant sorrows
But I pray for their commotive silence too
© Deon-Simphiwe Skade
31 August, 2011
Mourning
She mourns lives no more
While I cry for spirits yet to be born
The demised burden my heart
with spent and unrepentant sorrows
But I pray for their commotive silence too
While I cry for spirits yet to be born
The demised burden my heart
with spent and unrepentant sorrows
But I pray for their commotive silence too
30 August, 2011
A march against relocation, Cape Town – 30/08/2011
The march below was in connection with the removal of people that the city deemed to have illegally occupied an open filed in Tafelsig. There was a sentiment that suggested that these people would be moved to Blikkiesdorp as an alternative. They were on their way to the Cape High Court.
29 August, 2011
The Vladimir Tretchikoff exhibition
The haunting effect of Vladimir Tretchikoff's famous originals is the kind that arrests one's consciousness for a considerable amount of time. Even though the room opening up to the late artist's exhibition at Iziko South African Art Gallery displays less of his famous work, at least to the degree of the universally recognised paintings like the Ten Commandments, there's still a striking quality about these paintings, mostly flowers.
However, it is when one walks into successive exhibition rooms that Tretchikoff’s depth emerges, as if planned and almost introductory to those who have not seen his originals. One encounters the serialised canvas in Ten Commandments, when viewing the work in the following room. It’s a series of ten canvases that look simple but quite provocative. The saturation of colour is so acute it reminds one of fire. A variety of other works with various subjects far removed from flowers also adorn the walls alongside the much celebrated series of laws.
Tretchikoff’s depth becomes more pronounced in what I may term the “unmistakable Tretchikoff insignia”, in many of his celebrated works hanging in the third room of the show, which incidentally exhibits the famous Chinese Girl. The display in this room, which is mainly of portraits, is a bit dark and carries what may be the most profound interpretation of the artist’s eye of people and their faces. The depth of colour, especially in the glorious Asian and African portraits he painted, is absolutely enchanting. Many pieces move me it's nearly impossible to single one out that invoked the ultimate awe. But the Melon Boy and the Chinese Girl are among those that refuse to leave my consciousness, despite the latter being such a highly publicised work. Something about the original makes it seem all new to the eye.
Perhaps I should take this opportunity to touch briefly on the importance of Tretchikoff as an artist and what he did for art; at least from my personal perspective. Despite being heavily criticised for his unorthodox approach of reproducing his work through prints, he actually liberated art and broke the strict convention of viewing fine art as being solely for the elite. Not everyone could or can afford to pay huge amounts of money for original paintings. This reality would inspire Tretchikoff to provide a solution that would not only address the issue of pricing in fine art, but also absorb new audiences. Perhaps that is why some art patrons may have objected to Tretchikoff’s approach; the man simply broke the notion of exclusivity.
Love him or hate him, Tretchikoff achieved what many may have dreaded pursuing – he simply ploughed a lonely furrow. And despite what those who were opposed to the artist’s views and work ethic may have lead us to believe, Tretchikoff was not only extremely talented but impressively innovative too.
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
Note:
An exhibition of Vladimir Tretchikoff’s works is currently on view at that Iziko South African Art Gallery. It’s running until 25 September 2011. For more details about this exhibition click here.
28 August, 2011
Professor N Chabani Manganyi's biography of Gerard Sekoto (an excerpt from Blink)
The above excerpt was published in Blink magazine on March 2005. It is part of the biography called Gerard Sekoto “I am an African” (ISBN 9781868142910), which reveals the life of the late acclaimed fine artist, Gerard Sekoto. You may click here to learn more about the illustrious life of Professor N Chabani Manganyi, the authorised biographer of Gerard Sekoto.
27 August, 2011
BE
Be,
Be here, be there, be that, be this
Be grateful for life, be grateful to life
Be gleeful every day, for being the best swimmer among 500,000
Be-nign, be you, be mom's mean pie, be little black sambo with bad hair
Be aware of what a lynch is,
Be,
Be boundless energy
Be a four star ghetto general, be no one except I
Be food for thought to the growing mind, be the author of your own horoscope
Be invited, be long-living, be forgiving, be not forgetful
Be a proud run, only to return to fight another day
Be peaceful if possible, but justice in ways (?)
Be high when you low, be on time but knowing to go
Be cautious of the road to college, taking a detour through Vietnam or the Middle East
Be visual of foreclosure over your shoulder while begging
A nation built on free labor for reparation, Be a cartopogropher
Be a map maker; be able to find afro-American man
Search thoroughly it may be close to black man
Be amended 5/5ths, be amended 5/5ths human
Be the owner of more land than is set aside for wild life
Be cupid, to world government
Be found among the truth, lost tribe
Be at full strength when walking through the valley
Be not foolish as tender 18 of the mountain tops
Be a brilliant soul, sparkling in the galaxy while walking on earth
Be loved by God as much as God loved Ghandi and Martin Luther King
Be that last one of 144,000, be the resident of that twelfth house
Be....eternal!
The above words are part of Common’s song, It’s Your World, which features on his smash hit album, Be. They are spoken by his father, Lonnie Lynn “Pops”. They were sourced from AZlyrics.com and were amended by the administrator of this blog.
26 August, 2011
Intellectuals in Africa
I'm of a belief that intellectuals are born. This premise is based on the culture that suggests that an intellect is someone who has studied extensively to earn university degrees. However, if one looks at Africa, South Africa to be precise. Evidence of high intellectual order existed long before colonisation. The sagacious and graceful King Moshoeshoe, for example, demonstrated an acute sense of intellectual functioning in the way he ruled over Basotho people, and how he mediated conflicts from neighbouring tribes.
Even long before the existence of the Basotho king, great men lived in Africa guided by the intellects of the time. Modern Africa still has many intellects on grassroots level, in the streets and rural settings. Those who are keen on learning about this dynamic of Africa, would go out there to connect with people found in these many spheres of our lives. Then we may learn to deconstruct the myths and lies told through the colonial eye. It is unfortunate that these misconceptions continue to plague our societies even today.
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
A dedication to the beloved father, Ntate Thabo: Kwa-Zulu Natal (Mzwakhe Mbuli)
Video source: YouTube
Father's Love
When I was in primary school, my father often used to ask me to recite Mzwakhe Mbuli's poems for his friends when they came over. And knowing how obsessed I was with the People's Poet's oratory fire at the time, I would burn with zeal and animation at any chance granted to me to entertain. At times I would be very shy, especially when my prospective audience seemed cynical. Father would even call me while playing with my friends outside. But because he was very proud of my poetic prowess and many other abilities (including my twin brother's), he would disregard my preoccupations with children's games and ask me to show his peers the fire I could spit. I loved the fact that, just like our mother, Father believed in us so much that we seemed to manifest in all that we did, especially in school.
After my emulative performance of Mzwakhe's fire power through my charismatic vitality, in what were usually my favourite parts of his poems, with one going something like this: “Mmmmaaass...Mmmmmaaass... Massacre of my land!” the elated audience in my father's friends would clap their hands incessantly, appreciative of my impromptu performance - which father would brag about openly.
I used to have a great fascination in the People's Poet then, before I could learn many other things about the world and developed new interests to his unfortunate neglect. Father, with that proud and loving face of his, together with his thrilled company would say words that filled me with so much pride and confidence. Little they knew that I would become a writer one day, let alone one with diverse interests.
My father's confidence and belief in us his children, was colossally beautiful, even though at times it came out in strange ways that did not make much sense to our young minds. But this love was there, glowing through his meagreness at times, his hassles and all the troubles he had - but love was there and came out profoundly when we needed that wind to help us fly over some obstacles in our way. Mother's love had always been there beautiful as always. And perhaps that's why father's display of affection seemed unusual to us at times; we may have expected him to be like Mother with her enormous love no one could steal away from her. But Father loved us the best way he knew how, his special way. And when his appreciation of the beauty he thought we were to him seemed to overwhelm him, he simply held on to his proud and loving smiles. He would even insist on kissing us on the lips at times, to which we would protest by saying that he wanted to treat us like girls. It was very ironic because we may have wanted him to display affection in a similar way to Mother but rejected his other efforts to do so. But we were very young then, not having yet thought of finding positions that we thought were truly our own in this maddening world - that sense of self.
I had an opportunity to kiss the old man in my recent trip home. It was on the forehead when I told him that I love him. It was an incredible feeling to know that I had grown to become my own man who had learnt many ways of showing and verbalizing affection, which I was then sharing with the same man I could not fully understand some of his earlier ways of showing affection, my dad. I saw the same pride twinkle in his eyes as he lay in bed, and somehow many other things he used to do displaying his own version of affection started to make perfect sense. Even though he never had a chance of giving us some of the things we yearned for as kids, he had many other ways of showing us how much he loved and treasured us.
With these words, I'm not mourning his demise, but merely appreciate his less celebrated efforts. I don't think I know how to grieve. Perhaps it's one of those concepts that carry different connotations that I'm trying reconcile into one whole that would make more sense to me. Perhaps I'm grieving. But there's no shadow of any doubt that I love my father and he loved us too. I speak of him in the present because I believe he's still with us, witty as ever and highly conscientious. Dad, I love you very much!
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
Making sense of a loss
If someone were to ask me what it feels like to lose a parent, a father to be precise; I'd say I don't know. The torturous and cruel feelings of pain I'm feeling at this moment are way too big for me to comprehend and make complete sense of. So, allow me to grieve in my heart until such time I can talk with acute precision about the experience of losing a father I dearly loved, despite always talking about my mother.
Father, wherever you are, know that you're my hero in many ways. Thank you for being you. I love you and may your precious and sensitive soul rest in peace.
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
25 August, 2011
A dedication to the beloved Ntate Thabo - Ho bokoe Morena (St Moses Choir)
This song reminds me of a very special memory of my childhood when I went to Ntate Thabo's home for the first time. I may have been three or four years old. It's amazing that I would only encounter this piece again on this date (25/08/2011), a day after his heartbreaking departure.
I'm frightened by my remembrance and location of the song, despite all the years that have passed without hearing it.
I dedicate this one to you too Mohlomphehi. It always played so wonderfully in the house.
Deon-Simphiwe
Video source: YouTube
In need of a lullaby
When things suddenly cease to make sense, with extreme shock and pain overwhelming the heart; I bury my afflicted head deeper in the comfort of music for that much needed lullaby.
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
23 August, 2011
Omoseye Bolaji writes about the play, “Ihobe the Freedom Song”
There is no running away from the fact – South Africa has had a chequered past, a horrific past really; with millions of blacks suppressed, oppressed and butchered during apartheid.
This, however, had the effect of producing so many gallant, intrepid heroes over the decades. A number of books, documentaries, and the occasional drama have been churned out in South Africa to celebrate certain pertinent events, or heroes of the struggle. The other week I was a guest at one of the most recent of such dramas commemorating the struggle; titled:“Managing Students Revolt: Ihobe the Freedom Song”.
The event was held at the Assemblies of God Church in Mangaung. It was a great moment for one of the heroes of the struggle, Fikile Qithi, the gentleman of whom the riveting play is essentially weaved around, his face was creased with smiles, even tears, as the play honouring him unfolded. I found myself reminiscing on the times I had visited the great man in his house while he simply and modestly prepared meals for us.
Fikile Qithi, famously a former student leader of Ihobe Secondary School, and former political prisoner at Robben Island said: “the event commemorates of Mangaung Students Outburst. We are all indebted to younger students in Mangaung who were inspired by the Soweto uprisings of June 1976, who also took part in the struggle against Afrikaans as the medium for education.”The gentleman also paid tribute to young black students from the schools in the days of yore who displayed exemplary courage.
Such schools included: Ihobe Secondary School, and Marang Primary School, Sehunelo High School, Lereko High School, St Bernard Roman Catholic School. History reveals that these institutions rejected the imposition of Afrikaans. Their heroes included: Mpho Diba, Pinkie Litheko, and Fikile Qithi.
Zingile Dingani, the former Ihobe Secondary School student and now secretary of parliament from Cape Town said: “I’m a former learner at Ihobe Primary School. In the past, we learned Geography and Mathematics in Afrikaans. That helped us to raise our consciousness though, we were young. We knew it was a terrible thing for us to be oppressed so much in our own country, and we fought the system.”
The occasion came at a propitious time, with the mammoth ANC getting ready to celebrate the centenary of the formation of the liberation movement. As illustrious poet, Raselebeli Khotseng explained at the occasion: “It is good that this play has been organised in Mangaung, we are going to have the ANC Centenary in the Free State next year. The people of this province must participate in the centenary celebrations.”
Afterwards, well known South African struggle stalwart, Mpikeleni Duma told me: “this play is the culmination of a dream I have had to honour one of the heroes of our struggle. We blacks must learn to celebrate, and learn from the steamy marsh of our history,”
For the records, here is the cast of the play:
Hector Kunene
Mungisi Tshobeka
Morena Hamilton Berries
Zola, Mzayiya Thabang
Lenko Nomthandazo
James Nthabiseng Diphoko.
This article was first published on Letter From South Africa. You may click here for more on Bolaji’s writings.
Safety not given for fracking activities
The petroleum company heading calls for the Great Karoo to be opened up for exploration for natural gas has admitted that it cannot guarantee the safety of its operations.
This concession by Shell SA boss Jan Willem Eggink was made as the findings of a UN investigation of oil-industry pollution in Nigeria, with particular reference to the culpability of Shell, were released.
Shell wants to explore the Karoo for natural gas and recover it using hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking".
In fracking, shale several kilometres beneath the surface is ruptured to release tightly bound gas.
Fracking has been outlawed elsewhere in the world because it has been shown to pollute ground water reserves.
At a dinner in Port Elizabeth last week, Eggink said that though Shell could not guarantee the integrity of its well casings when fracking, an accident would be simple to clean up
"If things are done properly, there should not be problems ... [but that] doesn't mean there couldn't be," said Eggink.
"It's a point zero zero zero possibility ... if it were such a small chance, would you not consider going ahead?" he said.
Shell has applied to explore for gas across a 90000ha swathe of the Karoo.
This story was sourced from The Times.
This concession by Shell SA boss Jan Willem Eggink was made as the findings of a UN investigation of oil-industry pollution in Nigeria, with particular reference to the culpability of Shell, were released.
Shell wants to explore the Karoo for natural gas and recover it using hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking".
In fracking, shale several kilometres beneath the surface is ruptured to release tightly bound gas.
Fracking has been outlawed elsewhere in the world because it has been shown to pollute ground water reserves.
At a dinner in Port Elizabeth last week, Eggink said that though Shell could not guarantee the integrity of its well casings when fracking, an accident would be simple to clean up
"If things are done properly, there should not be problems ... [but that] doesn't mean there couldn't be," said Eggink.
"It's a point zero zero zero possibility ... if it were such a small chance, would you not consider going ahead?" he said.
Shell has applied to explore for gas across a 90000ha swathe of the Karoo.
This story was sourced from The Times.
22 August, 2011
21 August, 2011
Nathi Xinwa says: Write something worth reading
I urge you, the writer, to plough ahead with great caution.
For one, I am not sympathetic to the pity parties people host in order to get attention of some kind or value and am not privy to their motivations for such things either.
If you are going to write something for the purpose of it being read (not everything that is written is done so to appease, educate, entertain or charge the readers) then you should make it worth reading.
Sometimes we write to drive our demons out. Other times we write in order to help us understand something, maybe even to catalog a perception we have at that moment, but for whatever selfish reason we write - those things aren't written to be critiqued or scrutinised by anyone else. In fact, once we pen such things down we tend not to want to share them with anyone as these are the writings that are not merely close to our hearts, but are the window into our subconcious that is the consciousness that penned it down in the first place.
I digress.
Writing for the the reader is a complicated task. You must know who the reader is, what their level of understanding is, who & what they identify with, how to appeal to them, and how to keep them reading beyond the first stanza, or even the first line.
Click here to read further. In fact you may visit Nathi Xinwa's blog for more of his writing
For one, I am not sympathetic to the pity parties people host in order to get attention of some kind or value and am not privy to their motivations for such things either.
If you are going to write something for the purpose of it being read (not everything that is written is done so to appease, educate, entertain or charge the readers) then you should make it worth reading.
Sometimes we write to drive our demons out. Other times we write in order to help us understand something, maybe even to catalog a perception we have at that moment, but for whatever selfish reason we write - those things aren't written to be critiqued or scrutinised by anyone else. In fact, once we pen such things down we tend not to want to share them with anyone as these are the writings that are not merely close to our hearts, but are the window into our subconcious that is the consciousness that penned it down in the first place.
I digress.
Writing for the the reader is a complicated task. You must know who the reader is, what their level of understanding is, who & what they identify with, how to appeal to them, and how to keep them reading beyond the first stanza, or even the first line.
Click here to read further. In fact you may visit Nathi Xinwa's blog for more of his writing
20 August, 2011
Jean McKenzie writes about Shell's plan around the fracking of shale gas
With global energy demand predicted to double by 2050, Shell South Africa chairperson and VP Bonang Mohale says that South Africa would be “stupid” not to look at the opportunity of shale gas exploitation in the Karoo.
The International Energy Agency estimates that there could be as much as 485-trillion cubic feet (tcf) of reserves in the Karoo, which Mohale said were significantly larger than the Russian gas fields which were estimated at 128 tcf.
Speaking at a South African National Energy Association event in Cape Town on Wednesday, Mohale argued that countries such as the Netherlands and the US have used their gas reserves to significant advantage. He said that the Netherlands used its resources for internal development , the US reduced its dependency on oil from the Middle East and that South Africa had similar opportunities which should be embraced.
With an area of 80 000 km2 being considered for hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’, Mohale said that only about 1% of this total area would be used for production and that the landscape would not be littered with wells.
“Sometimes when you hear there will be six-million trucks here and billions of litres of water - it’s back of the cigarette box mathematics. In reality it doesn’t quite work like that. We have been doing this for the last 60 years, so hydraulic fracturing is not a new technology for Shell or indeed in the mining industry in general. We have 1.1-million wells mostly in the US where we have been experimenting with this technology and where we have successfully drilled the wells.”
Also attending the lecture was Treasure the Karoo Action Group chairperson Jonathan Deal, who was not placated by Mohales’s assurance that Shell had many years experience in fracking. “Our opposition to fracking is not about Shell, it’s about the technology. We know very well that if Shell had an attack of conscience tomorrow and they withdrew from the fracking application that your area for exploration would be filled by another international oil company in a very short space of time, so I’m dealing specifically with the technology.”
This article continues on the Engineering News website, where it was sourced. You may read further here.
The International Energy Agency estimates that there could be as much as 485-trillion cubic feet (tcf) of reserves in the Karoo, which Mohale said were significantly larger than the Russian gas fields which were estimated at 128 tcf.
Speaking at a South African National Energy Association event in Cape Town on Wednesday, Mohale argued that countries such as the Netherlands and the US have used their gas reserves to significant advantage. He said that the Netherlands used its resources for internal development , the US reduced its dependency on oil from the Middle East and that South Africa had similar opportunities which should be embraced.
With an area of 80 000 km2 being considered for hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’, Mohale said that only about 1% of this total area would be used for production and that the landscape would not be littered with wells.
“Sometimes when you hear there will be six-million trucks here and billions of litres of water - it’s back of the cigarette box mathematics. In reality it doesn’t quite work like that. We have been doing this for the last 60 years, so hydraulic fracturing is not a new technology for Shell or indeed in the mining industry in general. We have 1.1-million wells mostly in the US where we have been experimenting with this technology and where we have successfully drilled the wells.”
Also attending the lecture was Treasure the Karoo Action Group chairperson Jonathan Deal, who was not placated by Mohales’s assurance that Shell had many years experience in fracking. “Our opposition to fracking is not about Shell, it’s about the technology. We know very well that if Shell had an attack of conscience tomorrow and they withdrew from the fracking application that your area for exploration would be filled by another international oil company in a very short space of time, so I’m dealing specifically with the technology.”
This article continues on the Engineering News website, where it was sourced. You may read further here.
19 August, 2011
Ramsey Diane Molefe on the importance of writing in Setswana, his mother tongue
I would like to teach our young people to take pride in their language. Because formerly we thought that a good book must only be written in English. But we want our students and our young people to know that their language is just as important as any other language.So that is why I'm more interested in writing in Setswana because I want them to take pride in their national language.
~ Ramsey Diane Molefe
The above excerpt is part of a transcripted interview that features in the book, Conversation with African Writers. The actual interview took place on 26 September 1976, and was broadcast on Voices of America as a series feature on African writers.
Mail & Guardian Johannesburg Literary Festival
This is the full programme for the Mail & Guardian Johannesburg Literary Festival.
September 2
Keynote address -- The Johannesburg moment
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm
Venue: Main Theatre
Professor Karl von Holdt -- The Johannesburg Moment
September 3
Session 1 -- Not in black and white
Time: 9.30am to 11 am
Venue: Main Theatre
Chair: Darryl Accone
Panel: Fiona Forde
Antjie Krog
Sandile Memela
Andile Mngxitama
Session 2 -- Jo'burg: Renewing, restoring, reviewing
Time:11.30am to 1 pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Steven Sack
Panel: Gerald Garner
Noor Nieftagodien
Achille Mbembe
Matthew Wilhelm-Solomon
Session 3 -- Memories of the city
Time: 11.30am to 1pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Jon Hyslop
Panel: Leslie Bank
Denis Hirson
Ufrieda Ho
Mbulelo Mzamane
Chris van Wyk
Session 4 -- Poetry
Time: 1.30om to 2.15pm
Venue: Kippies
Ingrid de Kock and Denis Hirson
Session 5 -- Workers of the world unite: Labour, the ANC and history
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Nic Dawes
Panel: Kally Forrest
Susan Booysen
Moeletsi Mbeki
Session 6 -- Science fiction and fantasy in the city
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Gwen Ansell
Panel: Lauren Beukes
Louis Greenberg
Tom Learmont
Sarah Lotz
September 2
Keynote address -- The Johannesburg moment
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm
Venue: Main Theatre
Professor Karl von Holdt -- The Johannesburg Moment
September 3
Session 1 -- Not in black and white
Time: 9.30am to 11 am
Venue: Main Theatre
Chair: Darryl Accone
Panel: Fiona Forde
Antjie Krog
Sandile Memela
Andile Mngxitama
Session 2 -- Jo'burg: Renewing, restoring, reviewing
Time:11.30am to 1 pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Steven Sack
Panel: Gerald Garner
Noor Nieftagodien
Achille Mbembe
Matthew Wilhelm-Solomon
Session 3 -- Memories of the city
Time: 11.30am to 1pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Jon Hyslop
Panel: Leslie Bank
Denis Hirson
Ufrieda Ho
Mbulelo Mzamane
Chris van Wyk
Session 4 -- Poetry
Time: 1.30om to 2.15pm
Venue: Kippies
Ingrid de Kock and Denis Hirson
Session 5 -- Workers of the world unite: Labour, the ANC and history
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Nic Dawes
Panel: Kally Forrest
Susan Booysen
Moeletsi Mbeki
Session 6 -- Science fiction and fantasy in the city
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Gwen Ansell
Panel: Lauren Beukes
Louis Greenberg
Tom Learmont
Sarah Lotz
Session 7 -- Aspects of the South African novel
Time: 4.30pm to 6pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Craig MacKenzie
Jane Rosenthal
Leon de Kock
Karabo Kgoleng
September 4
Session 8 -- Memory is the Weapon
Time: 9.30am to 11am
Venue: Main Theatre
Chair: Nic Dawes
Panel: Hugh Lewin
Ronnie Kasrils
Session 9 -- New writing from the city
Time: 11.45am to 1pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Maureen Isaacson
Panel: Cynthia Jele
Jassy Mackenzie
Henrietta Rose-Innes
Ramsey Diane Molefe on the role of a writer
I feel a writer is almost what you might call the watchdog of a nation. He must always see what is taking place, what the government is doing, what people want and he is more or less the link. By his
books he can make the government aware of what people are thinking. I feel a writer is a tool for change. We are showing our people that the expression which the Europeans always say, ''The pen is mightier than the sword,'' has a lot of meaning. Some people think that by fighting, using arms which destroy people, that's the best way to achieve their ends. But I as a writer I feel in Botswana we want to speak out. Our forefathers have an expression which says, ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo.
That is, a great battle is the one done through speech. So I want people to know that if we want to fight we must fight with our tongues, not with weapons. Because that will not injure anybody and we shall build a strong nation.
books he can make the government aware of what people are thinking. I feel a writer is a tool for change. We are showing our people that the expression which the Europeans always say, ''The pen is mightier than the sword,'' has a lot of meaning. Some people think that by fighting, using arms which destroy people, that's the best way to achieve their ends. But I as a writer I feel in Botswana we want to speak out. Our forefathers have an expression which says, ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo.
That is, a great battle is the one done through speech. So I want people to know that if we want to fight we must fight with our tongues, not with weapons. Because that will not injure anybody and we shall build a strong nation.
~ Ramsey Diane Molefe
The above excerpt is part of a transcripted interview that features in the book, Conversation with African Writers. The actual interview took place on 26 September 1976, and was broadcast on Voices of America as a series feature on African writers.
The above excerpt is part of a transcripted interview that features in the book, Conversation with African Writers. The actual interview took place on 26 September 1976, and was broadcast on Voices of America as a series feature on African writers.
17 August, 2011
Ubuntu: Suthukazi Arosi’s profound lament
One may state that Suthukazi Arosi’s debut solo album, Ubuntu, is a work of lament. This premise may easily be based on the opening four songs of the album: Wemnt’ omnyama Vuka Emaqandeni, Somandla, Amanyala and Abelungu Abamnyama among those that are conspicuously consistent with the opening sentiment. The first track, perhaps owing much to its up-tempo rhythm, bewails with vigour the many concerns of its subject matter with nuances of brotherly/sisterly advice towards the black nation.
The singer says: “… Sonke isizwe s’khala ngawe, khawuvuke emaqandeni bo… Amasiko mzi ontsundu, ubuntu wemnt’ omnyama. Wa phel’ umz’ontsundu; baphel’ abantu madoda…” This caution is against the fading sense of ubuntu within the black nation and the apparent fading of African traditions.
The second song, Somandla, perhaps in the same vein as its predecessor, is more like a prayer, but one with melancholic melody that departs from the verve of the opener. Here Suthukazi is pleading with the Almighty to help heal the black nation of its ills and frustrations, so that the boiling bad blood that exists between people may cease to be. The third offering, Amanyala, is a frighteningly gloomy piece of music. Its arrangement may suggest that the singer may have wanted to present the most pressing issues before many others subjects that are buried further on in the record; perhaps so that when the music unwinds further on, the more pressing matters would have been dealt with. Perhaps the melodies and the anecdotes that follow may help soothe the afflicted heart and allow the listener to go back to the earlier alarming messages with less trouble. That way the reflections on pertinent issues do not leave one’s consciousness.
Amanyala, the dreadful song, plays and one appreciates it even more because of its innovative arrangement – it doesn’t allow for the separation of the horrifying narrative from the music – the two elements are like a molded spear that pierces and pierces. This offering is also a song of lament as stated earlier, but one whose cry emanates from a domestic level – a male figure molesting the children of his home. The singer takes a position many narrators usually distance themselves from – she’s the protagonist who pleads in the first person thus:
“You want me to tolerate all your disgraceful and awful actions; I will tell father… you cannot carry on like that; I will tell father…children can no longer sleep at night because of you… even Ntombikayise is pregnant because of you… I will tell father.”
Suthukazi condemns the acts of a pedophiliac male figure in this song in isiXhosa. In fact, the whole record is sung in both isiXhosa and isiZulu. The backing vocals of the accompanying musicians add a soothing balm to this stark and frightening situation narrated in Amanyala, and their singing only make the interaction with the song even more painful. They sing behind Suthukazi’s afflicted voice almost helpless. And the way the immensely talented singer commands the lead is a shift from her conventional singing. Her vocals sound like she’s crying what may be a beautiful cry, if there is such a thing, which evokes an ambivalent reaction from the listener. Perhaps it’s the demands of this poignant song that elevates her, as the narrator, to that lamenting mode. But it’s a beautiful lament in its melodies and other artistic features.
As the music unfolds further Suthukazi opens up another platform for dialogue where African indigenous languages are concerned. The sad tone in both the melody and vocals changes – the tempo becomes accelerated again and the voices delivering these messages become more cheerful in spite of the pertinence of their subject matter in the song, Abelungu Abamnyama (black white people). The singer’s concern here is with the fact that black people no longer communicate in their mother tongue. A witty narrative unfolds as such:
“Ingane kamalume ithi a ikwazi ukukhuluma, ikhuluma isilungu kuphela, ngabe izalwa ngabelungu na... Ngithi ngiyabulisa ngithi sawubona, yathi what are you talking about. Ngithi ngiyabulisa ngithi sawubona, yathi don’t talk to me in this language…” (My uncle’s child says he cannot speak in his mother tongue and can only communicate in English. Is he of white descent? ... When I greet him in our language, he says: what are you talking about… When I greet him, he says don’t talk to me in this language.)
What may be a very pleasant and possibly anecdotal piece is, Abafazi Belali. It’s a narrative on the gossip episode that some members of one area experience and deal with. The singer assumes a position of the person aggrieved by the gossip mongers. She asks, thorough singing in isiXhosa of course:
“Hey women of this village, hey women of this village; where did you come across such a huge lie? ….” and the backing vocalists respond, having assumed the role of the accused by saying: “We heard it from you!”
The instrumentation is lively with engaging guitar rifts strummed along some intermittent presence of the melodic keys.
There’s a song called Vumani, which reminds one of other local artists’ articulations of their concerns over the world of the ancestors, which they reckon, still need to be afforded its rightful place in the new way of life.
Suthukazi is undoubtedly one of Africa’s most powerful female voices. Her strong vocal talent has seen her release two solo albums to date. Her 1997 Kora award marked a significant historic event in that she was reported to be the first South Africa female artist to win such an award. She also won other awards including the SAMA, even though her music does not feature much in the mass communication media, chiefly radio and television.
Suthukazi possess similar vocal talent as the late Busi Mhlongo who was sadly under-celebrated. When one looks at these two great musicians, the question of under-celebration or non-recognition of South African artists leads one to the following thought: ‘Why is it that traditional and jazz musicians not recognized befittingly in their country while they are still alive? One person may point out that raising this question may be akin to blowing one’s voice into a wide vacant space where what comes back are only reproduced echoes. Even this question is not direct enough because it is not aimed at anyone in particular.’ More thoughts which formulate questions emerge: ‘Who needs to celebrate these artists? Who needs to recognize them as icons of their land like other countries recognize their greats? Through which means does this recognition need to be done? Is it buying local music? Or is it through awards, or maybe it’s increased airplay?'
I’m sure when these questions fall like this, many musicians would wish to add their concernes to this significant issue. And sadly some of them are no more, but their spirit lives on in the hearts and minds of those who appreciated their art forms
Going back to Ubuntu, Suthukazi’s profound offering, one feels the need to acknowledge Andile Yenana, Herbie Tsoalie, Basie Mahlasela and Chicco Twala for their respective compositions of these great songs – Suthukazi’s too. The featured musicians deserve an acknowledgement too. Here one refers to Louis Mhlanga, Nhlanhla Magagula and Bheki Khoza among other talents.
And with this return to the essence of music, the album title arrests one’s consciousness and draws it back to the reality of our lives: Ubuntu, just how far removed are we from this concept birthed by the teaching of our African elders. The word “Ubuntu”, seems to have just become one of those words that get used at convenient times, when leverages or allegiances of some form are needed. African communities have somewhat departed from this ideology. Some sections of neighbourhoods seem to bear evidence of detachment from this long-standing teaching. Families have become withdrawn and have become individualistic. Perhaps the demands of our today and the threats that arise force these changes. Thus it is highly admirable that people such as Suthukazi sing about these evaluative issues. And from an artistic point of view, this album is as powerful as the narratives that are embedded in it.
Deon-Simphiwe Skade
Note: Ubuntu was released in 2001 and may still be available in some music stores.
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