As many are aware we lost the great leader and icon Nelson
Mandela December 5th. He is the greatest leader of my lifetime and probably of
the 20th century. Here are my thoughts as an author and songwriter
about Mandela and modern day South Africa.
My greatest admiration of him was his ability to forgive his
oppressors and move forward toward transforming South Africa from a dark
segregated country to a united and growing prosperous country. That being said
this nation still has its challenges with poverty and racism but it has made
huge progress. "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but
to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others" is what
he said after being released from prison. He lived and ruled by those words. He
led by example, something that is lost on many of our so called leaders today.
It wasn’t enough for him to just have freedom but he also wanted his people to
have prosperity. Africa is a continent stricken with poverty, and while not
perfect, South Africa is a jewel of the continent. It has a vibrant music scene
and all sectors of its economy are growing. It’s a market that I, as many other
musicians, am enjoying success in.
South Africa has become a much different nation than the
days Mandela was released from prison. Things had already begun to change but
it was Mandela who really moved the country forward into its modern version. He
brought oppressed blacks and the fearful whites, who believed they would lose
everything, together. It was a struggle but the nation began to form a new path
bringing different cultures together and forming unique ideas and the country
transformed into a first world nation. The music scene is incredibly diverse
and vibrant. Classical to heavy metal has filled the entire nation and western
bands have flocked to this music rich nation. The movement has moved beyond
South Africa to other African nations. Mandela loved music and knew of its
power, he was a talented singer himself. During his imprisonment musicians from
all over the world called for his release. It seems fitting that in his modern
South Africa it has become such a great music scene welcoming artists from all
over the world. There are rich roots of jazz and blues that come from Africa.
Much of the jazz and blues from the 19th century until now have
their roots from back in Africa. The blues scale came from that early music
arriving in America with the slaves and made prominent in the 20th
century in America. In South Africa the jazz and blues grew as it did in
America with many protest songs written by prominent black jazz musicians in
the 50s and 60s. Now jazz and the blues are very much alive and are enjoyed by
both blacks and whites.
South Africa has affected my song writing as well and the message of
Mandela has found its way into my storytelling. The “Visitors From Yubarri”
series is a story of how great thinkers who left the Earth return to bring the
life they have had on Yubarri, a life of very different beings and cultures
coming together in peace. They had a dream like Nelson Mandela of a new world
free of corruption and a world with freedom for all. This may be fiction but I
always believe if it can be dreamed then it can be done. Mandela brought people
together. This is something as a writer and musician that I try to do and he is
such a great inspiration leading not just a nation but the entire world and
even artists like myself. In my story “A Modern Day Animal Farm Tale” one of my
characters stands up to an oppressor and tells him that a great leader leads by
excellent example. That is what Mandela did and his legacy shall always be with
us even though he is now gone. Though he was put in prison for his comment that
the was no peaceful end to oppression but the only way was violence, in the end
it was his peaceful leadership that brought the country together and not
violence. He proved that nonviolence can solve problems. A great example of
this is when he came to cheer on the national rugby team, which was a prominently
white sport. He did this because his country, made up of blacks and whites was
more important, unity was more important.
South Africa is not perfect. There is still division,
violence, and corruption as there is all over the world. Mandela once said, “I
am not a saint, just a sinner who keeps trying.” Just like South Africa, just
like me, just like you. A man who forgave after being oppressed his entire life,
put into prison for 27 years, and treated horrible in prison only because of
his political beliefs that all races should have an equal chance. His legacy
makes us believe we can make this world a better place. It is a lofty dream and
one that we will probably not see in our lifetime, but we must put forth the
effort. Let us not simple talk about it, let’s do it as he did. There is more
hot air than ever in a world with incredible capabilities in communication so
let us use this power to change our world for the better. Most of all let us
give thanks for Mandela’s life and the leadership he brought us. I do not mourn
him, but instead thank God that he put him on this Earth to fight for, and
inspire us all.
“Tread softly,
Breathe peacefully,
Laugh hysterically.”
Nelson Mandela
R.I.P. Nelson Mandela, may the light from your torch light our way for generations to come. God bless
Check out some of the music Mandela loved:
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