Sad news today that a powerful voice has been silenced. Singer Miriam Makeba died of a heart attack after performing in a concert organized in support of writer Roberto Saviano The writer has been forced into hiding in his stand against the Camorra, a mafia-like organisation in Castel Volturno near Caserta, Italy.
I had the great privilege of seeing Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela perform in 1994 at the Warwick Theatre in San Francisco. Ms. Makeba's music was once banned by South Africa's apartheid government. In San Francisco, she talked about living in exile and her great joy that for the first time in her life she was able to vote in Nelson Mandela's South Africa.
Not only was Makeba an outstanding musician, she was a tireless human rights activist. In 1960, Makeba tried to return to South Africa for her mother's funeral, but her passport had been revoked. In 1963, she testified against apartheid before the United Nations. Subsequently, her South African citizenship and her right to return were revoked, until Nelson Mandela came to power.
Makeba won the Dag Hammarskjöld Peace Prize in 1986, as well as numerous other awards and recognition for her work, both as a singer and an activist. Read more about Makeba's remarkable life here and here.
Oh Tara...You met her once ? lucky lucky you...!!
she was indeed such a woman, so complete and faithful to her engagement..
Love you for posting about her !
Posted by: my castle in spain | 11 November 2008 at 22:35
Had never heard of her before. Sad day. her work will live on forever though. In that respect, we are lucky.
Posted by: My Mélange | 10 November 2008 at 18:53
I wish I had known more about her. I will have to educate myself more on her. I am interested. She brings me strength just reading about her. ; )
Posted by: Christina | 10 November 2008 at 17:22
We wish they could live forever, but their tireless work and dedication never leaves us.
Posted by: Colette | 10 November 2008 at 16:59