Miriam Zenzi Makeba was born in Johannesburg in 1932. Her mother was a Swazi sangoma and her father, who died when she was six, was a Xhosa. Her professional career began in the 1950s with the Manhattan Brothers, before she formed her own group, The Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional melodies of South Africa.

In 1959, she performed in the musical King Kong alongside Hugh Masekela, her future husband. Though she was a successful recording artist, she was only receiving a few dollars for each recording session and no provisional royalties, and was keen to go to the US. Her break came when she starred in the anti-Apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa in 1959. When the Italian government invited her to the premier of the film at the Venice Film Festival, she decided not to return home. Her South African passport was revoked shortly afterwards.

Makeba then travelled to London where she met Harry Belafonte, who assisted her in gaining entry to and fame in the United States. She released many of her most famous hits there including Pata Pata, The Click Song (Qongqothwane in Xhosa), and Malaika. In 1966, Makeba received the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording together with Harry Belafonte for An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba. The album dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under Apartheid
[more…].

What I personally remember of Miriam is the voice, and the way she was beloved. My folks listened to her at the same time as they listened to Jim Reeves (go figure), and the two form the basis of my pre-teen musical heritage, together with my mother singing around her chores, around her cooking, singing Sesotho traditional songs or Miriam’s Xhosa songs: The Click Song, or Khawuleza. Beautiful woman. Happy birthday to her.

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Out of the ashes…………..

****I was listening to BBC’s breakfast show, “Today” on Friday morning. There were interviews with various pundits and the UK foreign affairs minister. The show ended with a brief interview with a woman resident of on Kiberia settlement in Nairobi. The last question she was asked was whether the violence was “tribal”. It was as if the whole discussion, the past 5 weeks was reduced to this one question - the answer we all knew they (BBC and rest of the Western media) wanted was to hear that yes this is Africa and it must be “tirbal”. I cannot remember the content of the rest of the interviews - just the last word “tribal” left hanging in the air. A word signifying the other, those people. A word that feeds into the racism and notions of Africa constructed through colonialism. Firoze Manji, editor of Pambazuka News states it clearly when he writes

To the international community and media, we say that you need to first and foremost understand that massacres against the Gikuyu, the Luo, the Kalenjin and others are politically motivated and pre-meditated acts of violence and terror. We have to name the problem correctly if we are to counter it. Calling the violence ‘tribal clashes’ only lends credibility to the genocadaires and gives their propaganda mileage. It sends the message to the aggrieved on all sides that there will be, and can be, no justice. It only strengthens the hands those who want to stir ethnic hatred for political ends.

****Continuing with Kenya, The Vigilante Journalist posts a pictorial essay of the past 5 weeks including the violence committed by the police (hardly mentioned in Western media).

The day started with residents of Kibera setting up burning barricades to block police and chanting political slogans, singing and dancing. Then the crowd decided to head to the edge of town to loot the supermarket at which point they were met with 5 large trucks full of police. A long stand off ensued as residents threw rocks and police sent tear gas and opened fire on the protesters. After a few hours, police went in en masse and performed door to door raids, pulling people out of their homes, beating them and breaking down doors. They fired live ammunition in the streets and terrorized men and women on their way home from work. By 6 p.m. all was quiet and three were on their way to hospital with gunshot wounds. A third day of protests is scheduled for tomorrow.

Kikuyumoja’s realm links to MamaMikes where you can donate to Kenya Red Cross

K’s post contains an appropriate level of cynicism about donating, about doing and about what happens to the perpetrators of violence when this is over.

Germany”, my Austrian landlord told me today, “is a country where ppl aren’t directly helping each other. Only through anonymous donations…upon which they will receive a (tax exemption) receipt.” Hmmmm. I know many other cases where this assumption doesnt apply to - but coming back to Germany, I am reminded of this issue ppl had after WW2 when the following generation asked the same questions: what did YOU do to prevent this? Really nothing?

Fast forward in 2008+. Let’s hope that moods will have settled a bit by then and that business is “back to usual”. What will happen to those who did crimes? Will they be able to live with this guilt? Or will they come up with the infamous “i was obsessed with daemons” phrase?

On a happier note, AfriGadget announces a revamped site and is calling for contributors from across the continent to report on local innovations and alternative technologies. Once again an excellent idea from this great foursome.

We’re intent on getting more AfriGadget contributors from all over Africa. Part of that plan is to find potential editors and set them up with a mobile phone with which to take pictures and do interviews. If you know someone that would make a good fit, let me know.

Finally Kenyan music blogger Steve Ntwiga posts the 4th in his “smorgasbord” series - more amazing classics in his down memory lane music feast. Thanks we need this.

Inspiration from Noel Pointer - Jazz violinst and social justice activist.

Noel Pointer died in 1994 just a week before his 40th birthday. He studied classical violin and made his first solo appearance aged 11 when he played with Symphony of the New World Orchestra. He continued playing classical violin through to his early 20s when he turned his classical violin into an instrument for jazz. Pointer was also an activist and worked with children and young people promoting literacy and education in general.

I have two of his albums on vinyl - Hold On and All My Reasons. I havent yet got round to transferring them to CD so I have no samples. I remember some years back when I was trying to replace vinyls with CDs looking for these two albums or anything by Pointer but could find nothing. Now his music is out on CD - I found this slide video on YouTube with Pointer playing Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City”.

I checked out the lyrics of “Living for the City” and reading them I note not much has changed over the past 35 years!

Noel Pointer
Jazz Violin

R. I. P. LUCKY DUBE - South African reggae super star was murdered in a hijacking in Joburg last night at around 8pm

An injured Dube tried to flee but drove his grey Chrysler sedan into a tree and died on the scene. No further details were available as his son, who reportedly witnessed the incident, was still in shock.

Thanks for all the happiness you gave us all with your beautiful music - you are gone but your spirit and music will live on. Bless.

Lucky Dube

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Lucky Dube
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