Monday, November 10, 2008

Thula Thula Mama Africa...Sleep Well Miriam Makeba

I am sure this is a nightmare. Someone please wake me up.

Miriam Makeba. Your voice is so clear in my head right now. Last night for some reason, I couldnt resist listening to the unison of your voice with that of Harry Belafonte! What else could soothe the heart thus?

How beautifully you made those Xhosa clicks, mum. For some reason I wished i was Xhosa...even for a day.

You are dead.

How often you sang, "Thula, thula mama thula thula mama thula thula mama thula"! Oh how often I wanted to sing "Qongqothwane" but couldnt! Even if I did, it wouldnt be the same thing that you so rhythmically did, mama.

I admired you in Sarafina.The strength, the optimism, the resilience...everything that you have always been.

But that must have been a beautiful death mama. Wasn't it? On stage? Wow...many ways of dying, indeed.

A good looking corpse that must be.

Fare thee well the hero of Africa. Sleep, thula...lala salama as your voice goes on...malaika nakupenda malaika...nami nifanyaje kijana mwenzio nashindwa na mali sina weee.....

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