I have recently been pleasantly saturated with the Cape Town music scene, via the Jazz Festival, as well as some delectable meals at the Cape Town Food Festival. When you have both of these events and a rally thrown in for good measure, it makes for an eventful day jam packed with terrific activities.
Kevin, Michelle, Jordan, and I supported the Social Justice Coalition rally in Cape Town. It was regarding the denial of a visa to the Dalai Lama for a peace convention in South Africa. He was denied entry because China threatened to put economic pressure on South Africa if they let the Tibetan leader join the convention. It was disregarded that both Mandela and Desmond Tutu had invited him. This was then related to the bigger picture, that good governance and accountability are necessary for a successful and legitimate government. Also, human rights are at stake. The fact that the government folded under the Chinese pressure and placed issues of the economy above those of human rights leaves room for concern.
I worked on the mobilisation for this rally quite a bit. While handing out flyers on the University of Cape Town campus and in the city, I became more knowledgeable and aware of the issue. It was a nice change of scenery from making phone calls with the goal of gaining media support, to running around and explaining the issues to anyone who asked. The most gratifying part about it occurred on the day of the rally. A man walked by and asked what was going on. I explained, and he inquired further about the Dalai Lama and of what importance he held relative to Cape Town. I continued to answer and we had a brief discussion. He then thanked me for helping him understand and went on his way. It was this aspect that got me quite excited about where I have come since arriving in Africa. From thinking that rallies and marches were a waste of time to being overly gratified by helping someone understand the issues that I now find are absolutely necessary to be aware of. I completely expect this attitude to carry over to the US which will be quite interesting to compare the rallies and protests of South Africa to those in the U
Once the rally ended we decided to search for the food festival. Jordan left us to run some errands so the three of us ventured forward. After walking up and down hilly streets we finally found the festival and earned a healthy layer of perspiration as our reward. The food was delicious but had to be eaten sparingly. At the entrance we were given 20 ‘crowns’ apiece. These crowns could then be used to buy meals. This equalled about 3 ½ proper dishes depending on what was bought. Although the food was enticing, the real joy of the festival came with all the freebies. Lucky for me, I’ve acquired the eye of sample searching from my years perusing mall food courts. While Michelle and Kevin deliberated what dish to order next, I ran around and directed them to the nearest drink or food sample. It was a viable way to get full and still save all the fancy meals for the end. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and from the food festival we headed to the Cape Town Jazz Festival
This was a huge two day event. With 5 stages and a range of jazz, reggae, hip hop, and salsa it was quite an experience. I made it a priority to listen to as many artists as possible. It was quite invigorating and refreshing to be in such a cheerfully relaxed atmosphere. A large part of a culture is the music that comes from it. If the artist is good he/she can portray an aspect of the culture. If an artist is great then he/she embodies the culture and the two are inseparable. That’s how I felt about Hugh Masekela, the legendary South African trumpeter.
Masekela was energetic, laid-back, adept, amicably boisterous, and enraptured the entire audience with his every note and word. Also, it was amazing to be dancing in an area that held such a span of ages. There were people who had come to the jazz festival for the sole purpose of Masekela and those who were pulled in by his aurally aromatic melodies. It is difficult to describe a culture using only words. It is so much more than just an explanation. Actual experiences need to be had to truly understand the friendliness of the people in Khayelitsha, the hectic yet relaxing minibus rides, a true braai ceremony and the ambience surrounding it. These are just a few tiny aspects that make up the South African culture. However, it is this array of things that make South Africa unique and wonderful in its own way. Hugh Masekela was able to project my feelings of South Africa, and an incalculable amount more, through his trumpet. The experience was unforgettable and enlightening and I think I may become an avid jazz fan right along with my support for activism and great love of food.
