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Witnessing the SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR is as emotive and uplifting a musical experience as you get, but as Fiona Shepherd found out when she visited South Africa, their homeland remains a country deeply divided.
nyone fortunate enough to catch the glorious
spectacle of the Soweto Gospel Choir at last year‘s
Fringe could not have failed to be touched by their celestial voices. moving melodies and the way they spoke of their beleaguered. beloved homeland.
‘lt‘s the message in the song that we relate to because everybody goes through struggles and problems but somehow we‘ve made it through.’ says Lucas Deon Bok. the assistant choir master and one of the group’s biggest characters. ‘These songs take us from where we were to where we are at right now.’
Incredibly. the choir was only formed 18 months ago. pooling the talents of 26 of the star choristers from Soweto’s many churches. Lucas is typical of that talent. with 20 years of performing experience behind him. He’s now 27.
I recently had the privilege of visiting the choir on their home turf and experiencing firsthand the warmth of Soweto society. Everyone. including those in the poorest parts of the township. was happy to open their homes to outsiders.
‘l’m one of those who has seen everything from the apartheid era up to now. so I’ve seen lots of changes.‘ says choirmaster David Mulovhedzi. ‘In the last ten years. South Africa has changed dramatically. The younger ones in the group are growing up in a world where they can enjoy themselves touring the world. Life is so sweet.‘
An idealistic assessment perhaps. given that South Africa is in the throes of a worsening Aids epidemic. The choir do what they can. raising funds for their own Aids foundation. Vukani. Last year they collected £9,000 in Edinburgh. They return to the Fringe this year with a new show. which celebrates ten years of South African democracy.
Artists all over South Africa are investigating similar themes. At the annual National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. I
watched an amateur production about the Soweto Uprising of
1976. when schoolchildren were shot while peacefully protesting the introduction ofAfrikaans as a teaching language.
Grahamstown is a pleasant Eastern Cape colonial-style town founded almost 200 years ago by English settlers but. for one week every July. it is transformed into the performing
52 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 5-12 Aug 2004
arts hub of South Africa. It‘s like Edinburgh‘s Fringe in microcosm. with churches and schools commandeered as temporary venues. Even the local pony club has volunteered a space. where the audience perch on bales of hay.
This year. the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary. Originally conceived to promote and celebrate the English language in South Africa. it became one of the very few ‘safe’ places to protest against the apartheid regime. Post-apartheid. the festival‘s ethos is now more of a celebration of South African multiculturalism. with many of the shows drawing on tribal traditions. folk tales and social history.
Audiences for these productions were integrated but on the streets of Grahamstown it was mostly the black townspeople who were hawking their wares — from handmade crafts to cheap clothing — to the festivalgoers.
Everywhere our group went. we were reminded that South Africa faces a mammoth task in getting back on its feet. Racial apartheid may be over but economic apartheid is a bitter reality. South Africa is a first and a third world country within one border. For every affluent city. there is a rundown township on its outskirts. Grahamstown is no exception.
‘lt‘s true that the rich are getting richer.‘ says Lucas. ‘Some of them are in power and seem to be forgetting where they came from. It’s a long process to keep things stable but there is some progress with trying to rebuild houses. because most of the people are still in shacks.‘
The members of the Soweto Gospel Choir are the lucky ones. the ones whose talent has been recognised and is their passport to a better life. They are all immensely appreciative of the opportunity they have been given. and the ambassadorial responsibility it carries.
‘Even if we only last another five years. I hope we might touch people‘s lives and that people in the choir could go out and be great leaders.‘ says Lucas. “We’ve got a story to tell and the best way is to give it back.‘
Assembly @ St George’s West, 6-30 Aug, 7.30pm, (also 14, 20, 21, 27 & 28 Aug, noon), £10—12 (529—1 1).
THE CHOIR ARE THE LUCKY ONES. WHOSE TALENT IS THEIR PASSPORT TO A BETTER LIFE