Miriam Makeba (1932-2008)

South African singer, Miriam Makeba, died November 9th after suffering a heart attack during a live performance. She was 76.

Miriam Makeba performing “Pata Pata”

Though not very well versed in Makeba’s work, I’m aware of her opposition to apartheid and her significance as a cultural fountainhead who adorned the world with the music of her homeland. Due to her vocal protest of apartheid, Makeba was exiled from South Africa for a little over thirty years.

Miriam Makeba performing “Kilimanjaro”

Performing in honor of six African immigrants slaughtered by the Italian Camorra mafia, Makeba collapsed and could not be revived. South African President, Nelson Mandela, who allowed her passage back into South Africa in 1990, said of Makeba, "It was fitting that her last moments were spent on a stage, enriching the hearts and lives of others - and again in support of a good cause."

Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead

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