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In light of what is currently occurring in today’s world with the
threat of war, freedom from oppression is nothing new for South
Africans. For many decades, they endured such hardship within their
country that current news of armageddon doesn’t faze them. Directed
by Lee Hirsch, AMANDLA! A REVOLUTION IN FOUR PART HARMONY is one
of the best documentaries that focus on the grass roots of the music
that told everyone and educated them about apartheid.
From 1948 to the early 90s, black South Africans struggled to live
a decent life within their own country. Not only did they have to
fight for jobs, food, and a decent living, they had to abide by
the laws set by the government, which was led by an all white National
Party beginning in 1950. The Group Areas Act controlled black access
to white areas. To go into non-black areas, blacks had to carry
“pass books” containing fingerprints, photos, and other information. Marriage
between whites and blacks were prohibited, and blacks couldn’t converge
in groups of 10 or more. When the ANC started rallying folks to
defy these laws, many of them were killed or denied re-entry to
the country once they left. It was through freedom songs that the
word got out about what was going on. Through these songs we got
to understand why Nelson Mandela was jailed all those years. When
I was in high school and saw many campaigns started to stop apartheid,
I never knew what that really meant. Some schools don’t teach you
what’s going on in some other countries, and how it affects you
and your race. So long as you know your basic history about this
country is all that matters to them. When you hear the songs sung
by Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, you may not get an understanding
of they are trying to convey, but once you’ve seen this extraordinary
documentary, you will have a new appreciation for their music as
well as others.
In this film, we see old clips of some of the freedom fighters
who paved the way for others to fight. We see interviews with many
of them, including those who were jailed just because they were
friends or “connected” to Nelson Mandela. Hirsch also got interviews
with those were exiled from South Africa because they had the courage
to speak against the government. We learn the grass roots of these
songs and how they play today with different meanings. We also see
interviews from one of the executioners as he tells his side of
how he saw things. Lee Hirsch is a young man who spent most of his
20s going to South Africa and researching the past and the present
of the subject matter and the music. To gain the trust of those
on film to recall their horror stories is no small feat, and I commend
him for never giving up. Doing a documentary is never easy. Unlike
feature films where there’s a budget and “too many hands” involved,
a documentary requires patience for in order to tell it right, you
need all the resources you can get. “AMANDLA!” means power, and
it’s the power of the songs that has freed the people from unjust
rule. While so many songs are performed on film, the one that stands
out is “The Untold Story” by Sibongile Khumalo. She asks her Gods
for an explaination to the slavery endured by her people. It’s very
powerful, emotional, and very moving. When it’s all said and done,
and with Nelson Mandela now free, apartheid is no more, at least
in South Africa. Never forget the songs that paved the way
for all to know about apartheid.
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