Music concludes campuses celebration
by Lauren Crider, nw news editor

    Students came for the music, class credit or even pizza, but found more at a recent performance by African musical group, Boitumelo.

    Rochelle Roubin entertained and informed NE and NW students in a program featuring South African music. Roubin stopped often to tell about the meaning of the song, its history or the culture in which it originated.

    Students left the performance with a new understanding of South African culture, because of the message in each song.

    Roubin explained that the music was Miriam Makiba’s, a singer commissioned by Nelson Mandela to sing about South Africa and the oppression of its people. Makiba addressed governments and the United Nations regarding the events taking place in South Africa.

    The music performed by Boitumelo was a reflection of the many cultures, which were once, or are still, part of what makes up South Africa today.

    Opening the performance, Roubin was able to take the students’ attention away from their food with a loud “Ha,” preceding a song, which has been passed down from father to son.

    Roubin explained that the song spoke of hunting and of teaching young boys to shoot an arrow or throw a spear.

    She then sang The Train Song, which Makiba performed with Harry Belafonte. Incorporated into the song were instrumental imitations of the Zulu interpretation of train sounds, including the whistle and steam.

    Roubin often pointed to the audience, almost beckoning them to feel the music, as she danced on stage. Judging by the intense stares of everyone present, her piercing eyes and her resounding voice must have reached even the last row of students.

    Many people think of a limited African culture when they think of South Africa.

    Roubin often emphasized how many different cultures make up South Africa. Included in the performance were songs in French and Portuguese.

    For the song Ring Bell Ring, Roubin donned finger cymbals.

    The four performers not only played guitars and drums in the songs, but also used their voices, mouths and hands as instruments.
A song even incorporated the Quosa click dialect.

    It was used to teach children how to speak the language and talked about a South African click beetle, Roubin explained.

    Roubin walked through the audience as she sang, often getting right in the faces of audience members, looking a person in the eye.
Allowed the audience to participate in the show, Roubin brought students to the stage, gave them African instruments to play and encouraged the audience to clap as she sang.

    Most of the songs were energetic and full of life, as was Roubin, which only added to the performance.

    The performance impacted students who could be heard talking about the message of South Africa after the performance.

    Boitumelo’s performance was a powerful tribute to South African culture, the music was eye-opening and unique.