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LINER NOTESSouth African musical culture enjoys long-time and well deserved recognition both on the African continent and all over the world. But "Amandla" Cultural Group holds a special place among the South African groups because its members live outside. South Africa and their music, full of deep political content is banned in their native country. "Amandla" is an outstanding phenomenon in South African art because it uses an extraordinary broad range of creative means — from traditional dances to modern rock music, from drama and poetry to jazz. This is a kind of "political theatre" where dances and songs are the main means what helps increase its value. "Amandla's" popularity is now rapidly growing both in South Africa, where its records are spread despite all the bans, and the world over. Both audiences and experts highly appreciated the art of the group. A musician of world fame, a famous Soviet conductor Niyazi called "Amandla" "a unique phenomenon". Though "Amandla" is playing mostly modern music its members representing various nationalities of South Africa — Zulu, Khosa, Shangaan, Venda, Pedi and others, display great respect for traditions of peoples' art. The strength of "Amandla" is based on solid foundation of cultural traditions, on songs and dances created during several centuries of struggle against colonialism. This defines creative outlook of the group as a mouthpiece of ideals and aspirations of opressed peoples of South Africa, whose liberation struggle is led by a recognized and tested vanguard — the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa. The name of the group is a symbol in itself. "Amandla" in Zulu means "power" and its political content is "Power to the People". It is one of the most popular fighting slogans of the ANC. "Amandla" was founded in 1978 in the period of preparations for World Festival of Youth and Students in Cuba. After the Havana festival where "Amandla" enjoyed great success the ANC decided to preserve its cast on permanent basis. Members of "Amandla" took part in events of 1976, known as the Soweto uprising. They were forced to leave the country as they were facing inevitable detentions. And today far from their motherland young ANC activists are creating a new culture which has a deep political content and is founded on splendid cultural traditions of peoples of the South Africa. "Amandla" started with a new concept after Jonas Gwangwa, a renown trombonist and a musician of international class joined the group. He helped transform "Amandla" performance into a theatre-type show with a clearly expressed political content and thus acquire the style that earned it a well-deserved reputation. In 1980 "Amandla" toured Scandinavian countries, FRG and West Berlin. In 1981 they performed with a great success in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia. In 1982 "Amandla" was warmly received in GDR, USSR, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria. This disc, which follows the first one released in 1981 in Sweden, demonstrates a variety of forms in which "Amandla" is able to perform. It includes a jazz composition "Soweto by Night" and "Penny Whistle Song" played in best popular traditions. But songs undoubtedly have the leading place in "Amandla's" performance. Songs go through the entire show at times functioning independently, at times supporting drama and dance. "Amandla" is full of creative plans and those who saw and heard its performances rest assured that it is "Amandla" that will create a core of the National theatre of the free South Africa. 1. FAREWELL Oh! Oh! We will get home, however difficult it may be Your words are enlightening, comforting and give us courage Go well, child of Africa Our nation in its entirety, remembers you We have wondered around the world for too long In search of means of freeding ourselves in our land EMBERS OF SOWETO Out of the crucible Warrior army of new age Despising gas, batons, bullets Defying centuries of slavery Advancing without care on armoured cars Striking metal with clenched fists Warrior cry "Amandla" Rising in every throat Despising death Under muzzle of machines Under muzzle of butcher Teenagers and the eight-year-oids Advance into the hail of lead and weight of centuries And tumble — in an instant tumble Freeze tumble and sprawl Like rag dolls in the dust Collapsing under barbed wire eyes Butchers chorus baying "Vrystaat"! "Vrystaat"! These the embers of Soweto Igniting the eyes of Mamelodi Enflaming the heart of Gugulethu Burning like flowers in Bonteheuwel. Winging with the incadescent embers Warrior cry whirls and soars with collapsing child Ignites the triumphant freedom gun Mother! children! father! People! Listen! The cry "Vrystaat" dries on assassins' lips. 2. WHAT COULD HAVE GONE WRONG What could have gone wrong countrymen? (2) What could have gone wrong that we die like dogs? (2) Awake! Cast away the veil of darkness (2) Awake! In this year of the youth (2) The hour is come for heroes and heroines Pack up your belongins! Go, join MK. (2) Come all for training against these disrespectful boers (2) These disrespectful boers kill heroes of our motherland (2) 3. MEDLEY This year we mean to fight the boers with the Spear of the Nation We might get killed, but we will fight for our land That land in the South Do not despair, unite Africans — together We shall triumph over the boers Persevere, black brothers, we are almost there to free you with the Spear Any time now we shall liberate you Cowards give way Go back This is our war We who are united. 4. MALEBANE Away is Malebane, he went to Johannesburg Only to meet a homeless thug A beast Who assaulted him, knocking him against walls Walls in utter darkness Malebane went to Johannesburg Malebane left by train The millipid, the train Because there is no money And hunger devours all Back home the wife laments The children weep from hunger 5. WE WILL LEAVE OUR PARENTS We will leave out parents We will leave our parents home Where both mother, father and our brothers do not know: have never been In search of freedom 6. SASOL Leave them alone, we shall get them, we shall revenge In the evenings, in the dark They spending sleepless nights because of "umkhonto we sizwe" They have no peace of mind because mkonto will exterminate them They have no place to hide, because we are everywhere This "mkonto we sizwe", we of "mkonto we sizwe" Everybody knows about mkhonto, wherever they go They spend sleepless nights because of Sasolberg Vorster is ill as I am talking to you now. 7. LEAD US, TAMBO Tambo, lead us, Lead us, Tambo Lead us, Tambo, Let us repossess (2) Our country This is our year (It is our year, The year of the spear) (2) The spear of the nation) v Lead Tambo (Lead us, Tambo, let us repossess (2) our country) 8. THE CALL IS HEARD The call from our leadership is heard Calling countrymen to unite against National Genocide (2) Calling all African Nationalities Of all languages To meet in Bloemfontein for Congress (2) To meet for a tenacious Union The day long spoken about has come Leaders of the masses of our people were there Men, and you young women give reverence to this day Remember Sems's rhetoric words on this day Sung in Zulu and Kosa languages Recording Engineer R. Raghimov Editor B. Tikhomirov Cover design A. Grigoriev Made in the USSR |
AMANDLA
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NOTESThis LP was the first of two Russian releases featuring Amandla, part of the ANC's cultural arm in exile. Shirli Gilbert has an excellent essay on Mayibuye and Amandla in the book COMPOSING APARTHEID—Music For and Against Apartheid, edited by Grant Olwage. View Matsuli's listing here for more information about the group. |
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