Object Analysis: Freedom songs of the anti-apartheid movement

Rhetorical Analysis of Freedom Songs

            To paraphrase South African comedian, Trevor Noah, "We South Africans love music so much, we are the only nation in the world that dances when we're angry." (Jolaoshao 1) It can be easily understood that song and dance is an instrumental aspect of African culture. It is thus to no one’s surprise that song also attributed to freedom from the restrictions of Apartheid. During extreme times of persecution, black South Africans felt they needed an outlet to release their frustrations, finding one in the expression of song later known to be called "Freedom Songs" and Voëlvry music. The Afrikaner term Voël, derived from the Dutch word for "bird", titled the movement due to its mockery of the language of the oppressors and its inherent, ironic defiance to comply with Afrikaner rule; as well as a yearning for visibility and freedom. Rhetoric and expectations of the freedom song point to the South African aesthetic as studied by French philosopher, Jacques Rancière. Rancière concluded, in his framework, that Voëlvry music fit the South African identity "not because singing is an artistic practice, but only inasmuch as they constitute a tacit agreement of how collective struggle ought to be conveyed" (Jolaoshao 2) During this section, I will analyze this aesthetic that makes up the concept of freedom music in two particular songs composed throughout the anti-apartheid era: "Asimbonanga”, We Have Not Seen Him (Mandela) by Johnny Clegg and the English translation of “Ayesaba Amagwala” (the cowards are scared), composed by members of the African National Congress as a part of their movement.

            To understand the rhetoric of Asimbonanga, it is first essential to look at historical contexts of its composition. During the mid-late 1980's, as the forces of apartheid versus opposition were reaching a climax, white composer Johnny Clegg was using his musical talent to contribute to the movement. Headlining on his multi-platinum album, Savuka, was a song dedicated to Nelson Mandela; a civil rights activist and head of the African National Congress (ANC), who had been imprisoned since 1962. His involvement in the ANC and the controversial South African Communist Party (SACP) was for the most part militant. After years of Gandhi-inspired, non-violent protest and seeing little change, Mandela switched to more violent tactics against the apartheid regime. In the years leading up to his sentencing, he was repeatedly arrested for subversive crimes against the state and put on trial for treason in 1956. Five years later however, Mandela led a sabotage campaign against the Apartheid state with help from the communist group he co-founded, "Umkhonto we Sizwe" (Spear of the nation) and was sentenced to life in prison for crimes of conspiracy and attempting to overthrow the state in 1962. In the following years, many South Africans felt the anti-apartheid movement lacked a charismatic leader and legislator to fight against Afrikaner oppression. While it cannot be directly linked to the genre of Voëlvry music, "Asimbonanga" was nevertheless a song sung in protest and a national cry for the release of their leader.

            Through its widespread message to free Nelson Mandela and its rhetoric pushing for change, Johnny Clegg's "Asimbonanga" became wildly popular. Clegg's song reportedly sold over two million copies since its composition in 1987 and still remains a prominent example of freedom music in the anti-apartheid era. In the song, Clegg writes, "We have not seen him." "We have not seen Mandela, in the place where he is kept.". Literally, the phrase "we have not seen him" alludes to how long Mandela had been imprisoned (25 years) and how badly South Africa needs a leader. The rhetoric of Asimbonanga primarily used pathos to communicate a national petition, but because the composer, Clegg was a white man, it practices methods of ethos as well. As a white man living in a separated South Africa, Johnny Clegg held a considerable amount of power and rights compared to his primarily black audience. In an era where whites would for the most part only listen to white opinion, Clegg's song revitalized the common, anti-apartheid protest in that it became much more visible to non-acting groups. Whites in South Africa and white people everywhere began to hear the oppressed cries for equal rights.

            In addition to its rhetoric appealing to authority, the language and tonal connotations in Clegg's "Asimbonanga" greatly appeal to the emotions of its audience using pathos. The audience, in this case is the people of South Africa. Both groups of black and the elite are called upon, saying "we are all islands until we cross the burning water". In referring to participators in the anti-apartheid movement as "islands" Clegg tells protestors they stand alone until they can come together under a common leader. It is also a push against segregation (burning water), communicating the idea of unity amongst all of South Africa. The song depicts images of a cold and gray sky; both negative metaphors used to describe the feeling of loss the South African people feel without Mandela's leadership. "Who has the words to close the distance between you and me?" Here, we see the composer attempt to reach out to the imprisoned Nelson Mandela for guidance. He additionally calls attention to the racial difference between himself, and a majority of protestors and essentially insinuates Mandela is the only one capable of bridging the gap. Later in the song, Clegg refers to Mandela as "Brother." This shows listeners Johnny Clegg identifies with their movement, and recognizes their hardships. It provides the effective emotional tone needed if Clegg, a white man, is to reach a largely black crowd. As we see within the implications of in the next song, "Dubul'ibhunu", songs composed and traditionally sung by black people were not met with the same understanding.

            A much more controversial example of protest music, “Ayesaba Amagwala” or in English, "The Cowards Are Scared", the song expresses extreme discontent to the point that it is actually insighting of violence. The rhetoric of “Ayesaba Amagwala” has historically militarized groups of protest throughout the anti-apartheid movement. Lyrics that state such things as "Shoot the Boer" (Boer- generalization of Afrikaners, literally meaning farmer) have even had serious consequences after Apartheid. According to a blog at the New York times, 3,000 farmer's deaths have been linked to the dangerous language of the song since the end of apartheid in 1994 (Schott 3) "Ayesaba Amagwala" uses tactics of pathos to inspire anger within black listeners and lengthen the divide between Afrikaner and African.

            The song's rhetoric seeks to dehumanize Afrikaners through referring to them as cowards and dogs. It reminds Africans of their dark history of oppression through lines such as "Ziyareypa lezinja" which translates to English as "these dogs rape." And proposes the solution to be murder with the lines "shoot them with a gun." According to an interview, however, conducted with an audience member after the performance of the song in 2010, the meaning is often misconstrued. "You see African culture is idiomatic; it uses symbols and proverbs to express the truth. Dubul'iBhunu (shoot the boer) is not literal. At the time of apartheid iBhunu (Boers) symbolized a system, it was about fighting a system, not fighting white people," (Pumza 4) Regardless of its meaning to Africans, some whites found the lyrics of the Voëlvry song to be extremely offensive, and insighting; which led to the song being outlawed by the South African government in 2010, citing the lyrics to be "hate speech" (Pumza 4). Though this song has since become illegal, it still holds vital semblances of African identity and serves as a reminder to South Africa of its oppressive history as well as the sense of community needed to protest the apartheid state.

           

Works Cited

“Asimbonanga.” In My African Dream, blogs.yahoo.co.jp/costarica0012/25677131.html.             ("Asimbonanga" translation)

Fihlani, Pumza. "South Africa's Songs of Power." BBC News. 04 May 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.

Jolaosho, O. "Political Aesthetics and Embodiment: Sung Protest in Post-Apartheid South           Africa." JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE, vol. 20, no. 4, 2015., pp. 443-        458doi:10.1177/1359183515601454.

Schott, Ben. "Dubula Ibhunu." Schott's Vocab: A Miscellany of Modern Words and Phrases. The New York Times. 06 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.

Mhambi, Kameraad. “DUBUL’ IBHUNU LYRICS &HISTORY.” Kameraad Mhambi, 7 Apr. 2010.      Web 10 Nov. 2016. (“Ayesaba Amagwala” translation)


Questions from the author:

1. Do you think lines represented from the individual freedom songs are appropriate and establish rhetoric?

2. Are the examples showing ethos/pathos effective understandable? Are there any persuasive techniques you think are misrepresented?

3. Are there any rhetorical examples you feel could be added to better prove identity/credibility? (additional quotes from research etc.)