I had never heard of "Mama Africa" until today.That was Miriam Makeba's moniker because of her very vocal stance against apartheid in South Africa. Not only that, but she also was one of the best & most celebrated singers to emerge from South Africa! Her beauty,poise, & talent guaranteed her success around the world. But she chose to jeopardize her career for the sake of humanity. Miriam Makeba just could not bear the treatment of Africans under the cruel system of apartheid. Because she testified against apartheid before the U.N., she was exiled from South Africa for almost 30 years. Nelson Mandela begged her to return in 1990.
She was a wonderful singer& great humanitarian.She released some of her biggest hits in the United States.Miriam Makeba was born on Mar.4,1932 in Johannesburg & died on Nov.9,2008 in Italy while performing on stage. As an African-American female, I am on an ongoing quest to familiarize myself with the African culture & people. Miriam Makeba is exactly the type of woman whose life should inspire not only those of the African diaspora.The way she conducted her life should enthuse us all.It's just unfortunate that I did not know about her at all until now.Believe me, I will listen to her music & research her life.Here's an excerpt from suite101.com:
"In the same year she appeared in an anti-Apartheid film "Come Back Africa". Makeba went to the Venice Film Festival to receive an award for the movie that took her voice around the world. She decided not to return home. Her South African passport was revoked.
In 1963, after an impassioned testimony before the United Nations Committee Against Apartheid, Makeba's records were banned in South Africa and her South African citizenship and her right to return to the country was revoked.
Harry Belafonte organized a US visa for her, and the young, beautiful African woman with the sultry voice conquered US audiences. In 1967, more than ten years after she wrote the song, "Pata Pata" was released in the United States and became a hit worldwide. All over people were doing the "pata pata dance". (END OF EXCERPT)Read more about the dynamic Miriam Makeba:
http://jazz.suite101.com/article.cfm/south_africas_miriam_makeba
