Why Africa?

At times, I am asked to explain the reason behind my insatiable interest in Sub-Saharan Africa. This question has actually stumped me for a very long time.

I grew up very much doubting that I would be much more than a mother, wife and friend. Although my education was certainly encouraged, I was not the smartest in my family: but I was the artist of the family. None of my history classes mentioned, never mind educated me about Africa. Yet, as a singer, I was introduced to the rhythmic harmonies of African tribal chants and four or five part harmonies that absolutely blew western music away. The spirit I felt from those songs has stuck with me to this day. I have to say that that is where it started.

I remember my fascination at having to use every glottal sound, every pitch, every tongue roll, every clap, slap, stomp, aspiration, nasal vowel and most of all, for the first time, having my artistic energy challenged. The spirit these songs required was refreshing and the European renaissance pieces of constructed triplets, trills, romantic themes and sustained crecendos fell to the floor.

When I hear African music, I crave to knowit. Opera, musical theatre, madrigals and all other constructed art forms of western origin hold no candle to the deep spirituality of a tormented people who were known to shock oppressors by singing these enormously spirit-moving harmonies. On slave ships, while working on American Plantations; while trudging through the uncharted L'Etat Independant du Congo, bound at the neck with chains and forced to carry supplies for their white 'diplomats'; adhereing to a philosophy of non-violence after years of white rule has taken away the one man who can lead the native people to freedom; walking home from segregated schools erected on their own land and taught by their own oppressors - songs of striking beauty and deepest heart rise up. And in the churches built by Europan colonizers on African land, churches where natives have been betrayed and abused if not murdered, music more beautiful than any church in the world flows from each attendee to humbly invite the spirit of God. They sing for purpose and for comfort. They sing songs that everyone knows and music truly is a universal language.

There are songs that can make the sun rise during the pitch of night. There are songs that have healed the personal, national and continental wounds of the many peoples who live there. There have also been songs sung against others; there have been the most terrible songs man could find pouring out of the mouths of rival tribes. But man will never find more intricately composed or spiritually comprehensive pieces of art outside of Africa. When art has a purpose beyond decoration, and the artists embrace pain while maintaining hope, the product is irresistible.