Vusi Mahlasela
Irene Madonko speaks to South African folk and blues singer Vusi Mahlasela who is currently on a UK tour promoting his new album.
The one thing that sticks out about the frightfully talented Vusi Mahlasela is that he is a man rooted with the people. His songs connect him and the people of his country with both their past, present and hopes for a better future.
The South African folk and blues singer grew up in the Mamelodi township, a vibrant artistic community, and naturally glided into poetry and song-writing as a teen. He also joined youth organisations protesting South Africa's separatist white government.
Today he’s an accomplished musician, bridging generations at home and abroad. He also wrote six songs for the Oscar-winning film ‘Tsotsi’. Surely, with seven albums to his name, he can only be brimming with success.
Irene Madonko : You’ve been touring for 3 years now. Is your wife cool with this? And how do you make up for lost time with your kids when you get home?
Vusi Mahlasela : I can’t say she is. It’s not easy because right now I’ve been touring for over three years and I’ve not taken any holiday. Whenever I get home there is a lot to catch up with. I have two boys and a girl. We go shopping and watch football. My daughter Modiegi is musical, she’s got a beautiful voice.
IM : You were brought up by a single mother. Is this common in the townships?
VM : Yes, there’s a lot of it. It’s not an easy thing for these mothers. Sometimes bad things happen or they have to go look for work and the kids have to go stay with their grandparents. It depends on how strong the family is in terms of faith. With me, I grew up being happy.
IM : I understand your mother died. It must have must have been hard for you.
VM : My mom was supposed to go for inyanga (witchdoctor) rituals, to train as one. But she was also spiritual in church. She collapsed in church, just after taking Communion. My brother and I were there. Before she died she told me she wanted me to continue with my singing. My song ‘River Jordan’ is for her.
IM : There was a time you wanted to locate your father. Why was it important for you?
VM : I used to be haunted by a dream of two people who were close but I didn’t know them. One day I met a friend I had not seen in a long time. She was now a sangoma (witchdoctor) and also didn’t know who her father was. She told me I needed to look for my roots as my father wants me home. She also told me of the dream I’d been having. This friend helped me through rituals to find my father’s family. My mother and grandmother did not want to tell me. But eventually my grandmother gave in and referred me to a man who told me he was in Swaziland. When I phoned the place, a person answered the phone and asked me to hold on. I then overheard them saying to someone: ‘By they way, when was he buried?’. That was the way I leant he had died.
IM : You must have been devastated. What did you do?
VM : I met his family. A woman fainted when she saw me and my uncle cried because I looked so much like my father. The family said they had seen me on TV and would say how I looked like him. They made a traditional ceremony for me. On my album ‘Miyela Africa’ there’s a song ‘Entini wa babi’ (meaning ‘at my father’s house’). It is about my journey to find my paternal route. The ceremony was recorded and features in the song.
IM : Why do you still live in Mamelodi? When musicians get big they usually ditch the township for the suburbs.
VM : It’s a choice I make. There’s a very strong community spirit, you don’t die of loneliness. But in the suburbs you don’t know your neighbour for 5 years. Also, my name is in some tourism books. I get students, for example, from Sweden and Denmark who want to visit me in the township.
IM : On your latest album, ‘Guiding Star’, the track ‘Song for Thandi’ is a moving song about a freedom fighter. Do freedom songs have a place in a free South Africa?
VM : Yes. Now we are in our 11th year of democracy and what worries me is the ignorance of the youth in our country. The freedom and rights they are enjoying today, people fought for them, they didn’t come easy. I also started the Foundation to encourage young people, they need to know our history.
IM : What are your memories of your protest days under apartheid?
VM : I grew up a happy kid, not knowing of the imbalances in my country. I was about 11 years old when the June 16 Uprisings happened. It was then that I raised my eyebrows and when my interest in politics started and I went to rallies. I was about 13 years old when I joined a poetry group ‘Ancestors of Africa’.
IM : What was the experience like?
VM : I’d see people talking and someone playing drums. One time I said “Wow! What’s that?” and they said “It’s poetry”. I was like “Wow!” At school we were doing white poetry. But here was someone talking about his heritage. We then formed Ancestors of Africa. There was a man, Dr. Fabian Ruberio, who lived in Mamelodi at the time. He was very popular. He was my mentor, and he said we could perform in his garage. But he was assassinated by the forces. They raided us and confiscated our poetry. I had to start cramming stuff to memorise it instead. I was put in a police cell a couple of times in solitary confinement. It was miserable and I was tortured.
IM : How did you get into music from poetry?
VM : I joined the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW) and performed at their annual general meeting in 1988. In 1990 the African National Congress organised the Zabalaza festival in London. I went along with COSAW and sang my song ‘When You Come Back’. At the same time some people were doing a documentary on exiles going back home. They heard me sing and asked me to write the song for them. Shifty Records heard me and recorded it. Lloyd Ross owned Shifty Records. He also produced ‘Guiding Star’.
IM : You started off your career less fortunate – with a guitar made of tin and fishing line. What are you doing for youngsters who want to get into music?
VM : The Vusi Mahlasela Music Foundation helps develop artists who are already playing and we want to encourage them to do traditional folk music. Under apartheid we didn’t have proper music schools – just choirs, unlike the white schools. The Foundation reaches out to schools in South Africa. We teach them to write music and play folk instruments. Under apartheid, folk instruments were not recognised, DJs scratched that music. It was an insult to us.
IM : Today you are an ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign to raise AIDS awareness. South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS figures. Is the government doing enough for people with AIDS?
VM : I think there is a lot of progress and money has been invested to raise awareness. I am happy that Mr. Mandela has called me to be an ambassador. You can’t say no to a man like that!
Vusi Mahlasela’s album ‘Guiding Star (Naledi Ya Tsela)’ is out now Wrasse Records. He is currently on a UK tour with Ladysmith Black Mambazo (12 October – 21 November 2007).