ted hearne
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Mar 24, 2009
4:58pm
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Nguye loJesu
here’s a recording from BODY SOLDIERS, a show we did with Yes is a World last January in Chicago. this production was the result of a trip six of us, lead by my friend and colleague Mollie Stone, took to South Africa in Summer 2006 (with the generous support of the Kaiser Family Foundation). during this trip, travelled to community centers, clinics, and the Durban-Westville medium security prison, and astoundingly all of these served as settings for choir rehearsals and performances. i was lucky enough to see firsthand the ways in which black South Africans are using music as a tool to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is killing so many people - through the rich tradition of music that served to empower downtrodden communities during Apartheid, people all over the country are using the same music (usually with new lyrics and dance moves) to educate, comfort and protest government policies that limit access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs.
this here is a song called Nguye loJesu, and it was taught to us by Phumlani Kunene and his group the Sipithemba Choir. Sipithemba is an all-HIV choir operating out of Durban, and this is mind-blowing in itself in that the stigma of having the disease is pretty crippling in South Africa, and it’s not something that people freely admit. Sipithemba is a strong and supportive community, and the choir will actually travel en masse to the homes of their members and SING to one’s family members as he or she discloses their HIV status. it’s really very moving to think about.
in the lyrics, you can see how a traditional song is adapted for the purposes of empowerment and education. in the second half of the song, the choir sings the “A-B-C”s of protection methods. i think it’s extremely inspiring that music has the power to permeate social boundaries that would in other circumstances prevent an audience from accepting truthful information. here are the lyrics:
(in Zulu):
Jesus was here before the world was here; he is here today.
We are armed with knowledge even if the virus comes.
(in English):
Abstain, be faithful, condomise
If you use a condom, you will be saved!
the choir is made up of folks we assembled in Chicago, and the music was taught by Mollie Stone. that’s Isaiah Robinson on lead tenor at the beginning, and Allison Semmes and Josephine Lee belting out the A-B-C’s in the second half. the rest of the choir is Anthony Turner, H. Roz Woll, Garrett Johannsen, Aviva Mitchell and Adrian Dunn.
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Page 1 of 1
bio // calendar
// music // links
// webpage
// katrina ballads
Mar 24, 2009
4:58pm
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Nguye loJesu
here’s a recording from BODY SOLDIERS, a show we did with Yes is a World last January in Chicago. this production was the result of a trip six of us, lead by my friend and colleague Mollie Stone, took to South Africa in Summer 2006 (with the generous support of the Kaiser Family Foundation). during this trip, travelled to community centers, clinics, and the Durban-Westville medium security prison, and astoundingly all of these served as settings for choir rehearsals and performances. i was lucky enough to see firsthand the ways in which black South Africans are using music as a tool to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is killing so many people - through the rich tradition of music that served to empower downtrodden communities during Apartheid, people all over the country are using the same music (usually with new lyrics and dance moves) to educate, comfort and protest government policies that limit access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs.
this here is a song called Nguye loJesu, and it was taught to us by Phumlani Kunene and his group the Sipithemba Choir. Sipithemba is an all-HIV choir operating out of Durban, and this is mind-blowing in itself in that the stigma of having the disease is pretty crippling in South Africa, and it’s not something that people freely admit. Sipithemba is a strong and supportive community, and the choir will actually travel en masse to the homes of their members and SING to one’s family members as he or she discloses their HIV status. it’s really very moving to think about.
in the lyrics, you can see how a traditional song is adapted for the purposes of empowerment and education. in the second half of the song, the choir sings the “A-B-C”s of protection methods. i think it’s extremely inspiring that music has the power to permeate social boundaries that would in other circumstances prevent an audience from accepting truthful information. here are the lyrics:
(in Zulu):
Jesus was here before the world was here; he is here today.
We are armed with knowledge even if the virus comes.
(in English):
Abstain, be faithful, condomise
If you use a condom, you will be saved!
the choir is made up of folks we assembled in Chicago, and the music was taught by Mollie Stone. that’s Isaiah Robinson on lead tenor at the beginning, and Allison Semmes and Josephine Lee belting out the A-B-C’s in the second half. the rest of the choir is Anthony Turner, H. Roz Woll, Garrett Johannsen, Aviva Mitchell and Adrian Dunn.
blog comments powered by Disqus
Page 1 of 1
Nguye loJesu
here’s a recording from BODY SOLDIERS, a show we did with Yes is a World last January in Chicago. this production was the result of a trip six of us, lead by my friend and colleague Mollie Stone, took to South Africa in Summer 2006 (with the generous support of the Kaiser Family Foundation). during this trip, travelled to community centers, clinics, and the Durban-Westville medium security prison, and astoundingly all of these served as settings for choir rehearsals and performances. i was lucky enough to see firsthand the ways in which black South Africans are using music as a tool to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is killing so many people - through the rich tradition of music that served to empower downtrodden communities during Apartheid, people all over the country are using the same music (usually with new lyrics and dance moves) to educate, comfort and protest government policies that limit access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs.
this here is a song called Nguye loJesu, and it was taught to us by Phumlani Kunene and his group the Sipithemba Choir. Sipithemba is an all-HIV choir operating out of Durban, and this is mind-blowing in itself in that the stigma of having the disease is pretty crippling in South Africa, and it’s not something that people freely admit. Sipithemba is a strong and supportive community, and the choir will actually travel en masse to the homes of their members and SING to one’s family members as he or she discloses their HIV status. it’s really very moving to think about.
in the lyrics, you can see how a traditional song is adapted for the purposes of empowerment and education. in the second half of the song, the choir sings the “A-B-C”s of protection methods. i think it’s extremely inspiring that music has the power to permeate social boundaries that would in other circumstances prevent an audience from accepting truthful information. here are the lyrics:
(in Zulu):
Jesus was here before the world was here; he is here today.
We are armed with knowledge even if the virus comes.
(in English):
Abstain, be faithful, condomise
If you use a condom, you will be saved!
the choir is made up of folks we assembled in Chicago, and the music was taught by Mollie Stone. that’s Isaiah Robinson on lead tenor at the beginning, and Allison Semmes and Josephine Lee belting out the A-B-C’s in the second half. the rest of the choir is Anthony Turner, H. Roz Woll, Garrett Johannsen, Aviva Mitchell and Adrian Dunn.
