Culture

Castle Stout launches Afrikaraoke to preserve South African traditional music

Published

3 months ago

August 24, 2024

Local South African beer brand, Castle Milk Stout, has launched a new initiative known as Afrikaraoke, a blend of karaoke with traditional music to reconnect South Africans with their cultural heritage.

According to Khwezi Vika, the marketing manager at Castle Milk Stout, the Afrikaraoke is coming in “an era where modern urban life often overshadows age-old customs, with many young South Africans losing touch with the traditional songs that once played a central role in their cultural practices.”

Speaking during the official launching of the initiative, Vika said traditional songs, rich in history and meaning, are at risk of being forgotten, noting that Afrikaraoke has been launched to blend the enjoyment of karaoke with a revival of these important cultural melodies.

“Afrikaraoke is an innovative campaign by Castle Milk Stout, which is designed to reconnect South Africans with their traditional songs and cultural heritage,” Vika said.

“Afrikaraoke is not just about singing, it is a cultural movement aimed at educating and engaging the younger generation. The project features a selection of traditional songs, curated with the help of professor Dr. Evans Ntshivhambe, an expert in African traditional songs.”

Also speaking at the launching, Dr. Ntshivhambe highlighted the importance of songs in connecting people with their heritage.

“The insight I can give you for those songs is that they are more about connecting our people. They make us celebrate who we are. We love singing.

“We sing when we have problems, we sing when we celebrate, and we celebrate through singing. I believe those songs have the power to connect our people, to glue our cultures together.”

The campaign will culminate on Heritage Day, September 24, with a special broadcast on one of South Africa’s major television channels with the event showcasing the traditional songs through a vibrant, modern lens, ensuring they reach a wide audience. Afrikaraoke episodes will also be available online.

“Traditional songs play an integral part in African culture. Whether at a wedding, coming of age ceremony or other significant occasions, our traditional songs, accompanied by ululations, are what anchors us during ceremonies,” said Vika.

He added that the Afrikaraoke was a platform that ensured we do not lose this important element that makes us who we are, and one that called for people to preserve their cultural songs.

“It is an opportunity for South Africans to immerse themselves in the songs that have defined our heritage.

“Afrikaraoke represents our latest effort to connect people with their cultural roots in a fresh and interactive way. The platform invites all South Africans, whether they know traditional songs well or are new to them, to celebrate their heritage.

‘By combining karaoke with traditional music, Afrikaraoke offers a fresh approach to rediscovering the songs that define South Africa’s cultural identity.”

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Culture

DRC authorities arrest six over break-in at Lumumba’s Mausoleum

Published

14 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) say six people have been arrested over a break-in and vandalism at the mausoleum of the country’s assassinated independence leader, Patrice Lumumba, in Kinshasa, the country’s capital.

The police had announced the six arrests late Wednesday and said they were still looking for two more suspects.

Interior Minister, Jacquemin Shabani, said in a statement that during the break-in which occurred on Monday, a case containing a single gold-capped tooth, the only part of the former leader that remained after his assassination, was broken by the vandals.

“We assure that the relic is secure and it is protected,” the minister said, without offering more information.

The return of Lumumba’s tooth from former colonizer Belgium in 2022 had been celebrated around Congo, with the tooth taken around the vast country so people could pay their respects.

Lumumba is widely hailed as the nationalist activist who helped end colonial rule in the DRC and went on to become the country’s first prime minister and was seen as one of Africa’s most promising new leaders, but he was assassinated within a year in 1961.

His body was dismembered and dissolved with acid in an apparent effort to keep any grave from becoming a pilgrimage site.

For many in Congo, Lumumba is a symbol of the positive developments the country could have achieved after its independence but instead, it became mired in decades of dictatorship that drained its vast mineral riches.

A military coup toppled Lumumba, who was arrested, jailed and later killed. His assassination, blamed on separatists, cleared the way for the rise of Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled the country he later renamed Zaire for decades with support from Western powers until his death in 1997.

His one remaining tooth was kept by the Belgian police commissioner who oversaw the destruction of his body.

The tooth was returned to Congo after the visit of Belgium’s King Philippe, who expressed regrets for his nation’s abuses in Congo when it was a Belgian colony.

Culture

Miss SA opens up on why she withdrew from Miss Universe pageant

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Reigning Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux, has opened up on the reasons behind her withdrawal from the Miss Universe pageant which was held in Mexico, where Nigeria’s Chidinma Adetshina was the first runner-up.

While narrating her experience in a video she shared on social media on Wednesday, le Roux said her body was taking so much physical strain.

“Hello everyone, I’m back in South Africa and wanted to reach out to you all. Thank you so much for all of your kind wishes, your support and prayers,” she said in the video.

“I wanted to be transparent with you and share my story. A lot of you would’ve seen the video that I made about vertigo, while I was in Mexico at Miss Universe.

“Vertigo is a condition where it feels like you are dizzy and there’s a sense of the world spinning around you. It’s very intense and can cause major issues with your imbalance.

“Mentally I was very strong, I was ready, but physically, my body was taking strain. I had to even seek medical help in Mexico City. And even after the medical help, my condition still wasn’t improving.”

She added that during the preliminary rounds of Miss Universe, she had continued to push herself but her vertigo intensified and it became unmanageable.

She stated that while she was waiting backstage, she fell repeatedly and couldn’t stand up without support and was not in a position to safely walk on stage.

“It was not easy. As I was not doing it just for myself but for all of you in South Africa,” she said.

“I will continue to serve as your Miss South Africa, to support and uplift those who come after me. With my unbreakable spirit and an exciting year ahead, I will keep fighting for myself and for everyone with dreams and passions. I am so proud to still be your Miss South Africa,” she added.