Marita on the Mamela Music Project

Although this blog is primarily for the reflections of students participating in UConn's Cape Town Study Abroad Program, every once in a while, when I just cannot contain myself, I will add an entry or two.   My posts, similar to those of the students, are shared simply as personal reflections rather than as "official writings" from or about Cape Town or UConn's Study Abroad Program Office. I therefore write simply as Marita ---the person upon whom some locals have bestowed the title of Honorary Capetonian---- not from the perspective of the resident director/ faculty advisor/instructor of this program.

With that said, this is one on of those times I cannot resist sharing one of my experiences . . .


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My Preamble:

Anyone who has spoken with me since my first trip to Cape Town in 2007 has no doubt heard me speak (endlessly some might say) about the multitude of amazingly inspirational projects and people I have gotten to know throughout my time here.  With each subsequent trip I eagerly anticipate reconnecting with those who have educated, challenged, inspired, and befriended me during my previous stays in this magnificent city.  I have come to expect that while in Cape Town I will forever be provided opportunities to continue to expand my horizons as I strive to more fully live the African concept of ubuntu.* However, I am still amazed at how frequently I meet new people ---and am introduced to exciting endeavors---- that spark my imagination, fill my heart with wonder, fuel my intellect with wisdom, and rejuvenate my spirit with hope for a better world.

My Inspiration:

A few days ago I had the privilege of accompanying Charles Louw, founder and director of the Mamela Music Project, as he taught classes in both the primary and secondary schools in Manenberg. During this visit:

•    I saw children's faces light up with joy as they were finally handed one of the three guitars that had to be shared among the learners during their music lesson; 

•    I watched as a young woman graduate of the program worked patiently to write details of her lessons on the black board so students could copy them down--since there were no books or even copies of the music available to be distributed; 

•    I heard solos sung by two high school students who spontaneously offered to sing for the visitors.  These girls, whose brilliant voices broke through the dingy classroom with broken chairs and dim lighting, enlivened the eager faces of their classmates and touched the heart and soul of this visitor. 

Having been to Manenberg before, knowing people who live there, and having heard and read a bit about this community, I know some of the challenges that face the kids in these schools. It was with this knowledge that I was touched not only by the amazing talent of the two girls who sang but perhaps even more so by the words of the songs they chose to sing:

Excerpt from song #1--  
Hero

There's a hero if you look inside your heart


You don't have to be afraid of what you are.


There's an answer if you reach into your soul


and the sorrow that you know will melt away



And then a hero comes along


with the strength to carry on


and you cast your fears aside

and you know you can survive.



So, when you feel like hope is gone


look inside you and be strong

and you'll finally see the truth


that a hero lies in you

Excerpt from song #2-- 

The Greatest Love of All                                                                                      Learners preparing for vocal lesson.

            

I believe the children are our are future


Teach them well and let them lead the way


Show them all the beauty they possess inside


Give them a sense of pride to make it easier


Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody’s searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to


I never found anyone to fulfill my needs

A lonely place to be


So I learned to depend on me


I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows

If I fail, if I succeed


At least I'll live as I believe


No matter what they take from me


They can't take away my dignity


Because the greatest love of all


Is happening to me


I found the greatest love of all


Inside of me


The greatest love of all

It’s easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself 

It is the greatest love of all 

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Perhaps one has to be sitting in this classroom watching this scene unfold for it to have the full impact!  However, if you can imagine these words ringing out in a classroom whose school is so under resourced that the three guitars shared among students in the elementary school had to be transported to the high school for their music lessons, in a township known for its gangs, drug use, and school dropouts rather than for their remarkable music talent-- maybe, just maybe, you can begin to grasp why this experience has propelled me to want to share it.  

Watching the teachers and volunteers in this program provides concrete evidence of how students are trained musically but it also demonstrates MAMELA helps these young people to believe in themselves and, as the words to those songs suggest,  that indeed may be the greatest gift of all!

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A little about the MAMELA Project (from their literature):

"Seventeen years ago a group of socially aware citizens of Cape Town came together to form an organization that could productively involve youth. They were concerned that the social circumstances in our depressed communities may hinder youth development and youth's social mobility. It was decided to favourably consider exposing the school-going and unemployed youth to the benefits of Music as a cultural experience and as a form of employment opportunity.    

MEMELA was born. 

The outcome of their consideration was to start an action group in Manenberg with music as its uplifting focus. Manenberg is a dormitory township beset with many social and economic challenges, which inhibit the growth and development of our youth.

The initial work in MAMELA secured highly satisfying results. MAMELA activities reached many schools in Manenberg and the surrounding areas.  To date 2000 children have attended the classes which are conducted after school hours and, with the co-operation of the school, during school time.

The youth learn to play instruments such as the piano, the recorder, drums, guitar and other instruments, as well as being introduced to the theory of music. In this way, they are introduced to experiences which enrich their lives and make them aware of feelings and ways of living which might not otherwise have been possible."

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Accompanying me on the visit to Manenberg was Michelle Jordan, a recent UConn graduate and participant in UConn's Cape Town Program in 2009. This year she has returned to CPT to complete her MA in Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town.  In her spare time, she will volunteer to teach music theory for some learners in the Mamela Project. In the picture on the left, Charles Louw, director of the program, shows Michelle a few books available for her use in developing her lesson plans.

The Mamela Music Project is a non-profit organization with a registration number of 050-200 NPO.  Of course, as with any worthwhile non-profit project, there are many ways folks can help if they have  time, energy and/or resources they are willing to share. One of my personal goals is to try to get at least a few more guitars for their music program --so if anyone is heading to Cape Town and has room to carry along an extra guitar or two--- please let me know.  Another personal commitment is to sponsor at least one child so she or he can participate in this worthwhile program.

For as little as R200 (about $25) per month it is possible to sponsor a child to attend after school classes.  Mamela folks will then inform sponsors of the individual pupils who benefit from their donations. (If interested contact mamela@telkomsa.net)

Michelle and I are not the only ones who have been inspired by the musical work being done at MAMELA.  Tess Bird, another UConn alum who is currently visiting Cape Town, will be contacting musicians she knows in three US cities to see if they are willing to donate their time and talent to perform in a few venues to help raise funds for additional instruments for this project.  (We will be certain to post the details to the blog when they are available.)

I had not planned to have this blog entry end sounding as if it is a "paid political announcement" but as i wrote i realized i didn't want to deprive those reading this an opportunity to share in the work of this project, if she or he was so inclined.

The Mamela Music Program hopes someday soon to be able to find a volunteer to help them produce a new video depicting the work they are doing. In the meantime they have allowed me to upload their old video to youtube so you can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8nzG4Gthj4  (The Mamela Project now has three guitars -- up from the two they had when the video was made.  Hopefully they will have many more, by the time the next film is made!)

  

This is the current music room in an elementary school where classes are held.  

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* ubuntu:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered a definition in a 1999 book No Future Without Forgiveness:  A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008: One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

Nelson Mandela explained Ubuntu as follows: A traveler through a country would stop at a village and he didn't have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?