Number one you have cost us dearly

I remember in my early 20s I used to worship the ground that the ANC walked on (So to speak). There were political schools that we used to attend, learning about the ANC and its victories and defeats alike. There are values that the organization itself holds that no one can change.

I remember an ANC of the people and that fought for the rights of the people, an ANC that molded leaders of tomorrow and futures of the black nation of South Africa. I remember an ANC that was free of corruption.

There used to be an ANC that revered on the helping and improving the plight of the people of this country, an ANC that was a mother to the motherless, a GIANT of sorts to movements that rose in the wake of Africa’s children taking their land back one by one. An ANC of John Langalibalele Dube, Sol Plaatjie. An ANC of Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Nelson Mandela, and all other great warriors of this land.

There was an ANC that used to bring hope to its people, the ANC that you and I were raised by. The congress of the people that made South Africa a land of all who lived in it. The ANC that gave birth to democracy and free speech, an ANC that fought against mental slavery.

This is the ANC I once knew. Today we have a dog that used to bite, ustokoloko – inja enganamazinyo. An organization rotten to the core and one characterized by corruption, scandals and shame. YES IT IS NOW AN ANC OF SHAME.

Now in my early 30s I am ashamed that I was ever associated with you oh great giant. You have become a bully of sorts to your own people. You have become the elephant in the room. And all of this is because of your refusal to hear us, your members, and your refusal to listen to the people that put you in power. You have a stubbornness that precedes the entire country. I don’t know why you are willing to let this country go – All because of one person – u number One.  

When willit end?

It is unbelievable the amount of racial slurs that we still witness in the "New South Africa". We see that they actually still see the need to do awareness campaigns on TV for it. Serioulsy, this day and age we still have people thinking that they are more superior and others getting offended at the fact that they think people think they are inferior.

What is this that we are doing? It seems now more than ever do we need a devine intervention from this syndrome. What is worse is that there are more black racists than white and it is a worrying fact.

I have been meaning to tackle this problem but have been unable to truly research on the topic because I found that people are still in that mode of racial protectionism. A sydrome that I myself do not even understand. 

Is Choral music in South Africa dying?

As a young musician who has been in the choral scene for most of my life, I am displeased at the lack of any choral association that is making a real difference in the lives of choristers. In my days I have had the pleasure of travelling to stages that I would have never been to had it not been for choral and opera music.

It has been almost two weeks since the concluding of the 23rd SATICA competition and we are yet to see the results or the performances of those publicised. It is almost a month left before the ECCMA competition begins and also in just two weeks the "seem to be the biggest choral event in SA" National chior festival will commence at the Monument in Grahamstown and yet we have not heard or seen anything relating to it in the media. Why is this?

Is Choral music in South Africa dying?

As a young musician who has been in the choral scene for most of my life, I am displeased at the lack of any choral association that is making a real difference in the lives of choristers. In my days I have had the pleasure of travelling to stages that I would have never been to had it not been for choral and opera music.

It has been almost two weeks since the concluding of the 23rd SATICA competition and we are yet to see the results or the performances of those publicised. It is almost a month left before the ECCMA competition begins and also in just two weeks the "seem to be the biggest choral event in SA" National chior festival will commence at the Monument in Grahamstown and yet we have not heard or seen anything relating to it in the media. Why is this?

Naked and bare

My agony began as I bled tears of my heart,

Wallowing and wondering when it would end

The pain that ripped my heart open

Bare and naked my pride was

Naked and bare as I bled tears of my heart.

As the symphony of life played on,

My notes were stuck in that moment when our eyes met

It was a beautiful sound I could never forget

It was as though my thoughts were frozen in time.

And suddenly I began to move with the symphony of life

I had to face the music, my journey with you had ended

This, I thought while my pride was naked and bare.

Bare and naked as I bled tears of my heart.

My agony began when I heard the words

Words of destruction and nothing of building

It narrowed it down to the pain they were yielding

As I heard the words of destruction I was destroyed

My heart cried in silence and in darkness

My soul was now a wounded soldier

Hurt and heavy at the same time yet I had to carry on

All I wanted to do was to lie down and rest

But the music of the symphony of life was playing

I had to face the music, my journey with you had ended.

This, I thought as my pride was naked and bare.

Bare and naked as I bled tears of my heart.

The fear of Greatness

It’s been said for generations that we can be whatever we want to be – in terms of greatness (achievement)

‘What we want to be’ being the operative expression (minus ridicule)

Yet we often see those whom we classified as should have been great fall into their pit of despair and not achieving their greatness – and in the confusion of trying to understand or grasp their fall we then create our own fear – the fear of greatness for ourselves

And why then has the failure of another become our reasoning to form our own measure of success or downfall? Why is another’s downfall the pivot or foundation of our own greatness?

Would this then be a self-fulfilling prophesy or a vicious cycle?

The reason I said we create that fear is due to the fact that fear cannot be forced upon you – you control and select (regardless of frame of reference) what you will or will not fear – regardless of the pain or pleasure of the outcome

There’s a difference in learning from others mistakes and crippling your own growth – that said I’m not saying dive into the abyss of the known/unknown in the name of conquering the fear of greatness

What I’m simply saying is how great is your learning ability or better yet – how well do you know yourself

To conquer something you need to first understand it (by learning) and/or accept it and before you can conquer the fear of greatness or the fear of the unknown you must first understand and know YOURSELF (back to the basics) according to your measurement and not those of others

The truth is you are your own worst enemy and your own best competitor – for only you determine how high or low you want to climb to achieve your own greatness – defined and determined by yourself

The ability to speak was overcome when you were still a babe – before you were exposed to the rawness of the world – before you were told of limited and limitless possibilities and latitudes – thus we were not born talking already yet that didn’t stop us from accomplishing communication (at its basic)

You grew from a single cell into many cells into a zygote then a fetus that in turn took its true form of what was then called a baby – something so spectacular and magnificent yet you want me to believe that once it evolved into its true form – that being you – the magnetism of the wonder of how you made it this far in living is only so that you can be something that is mediocre? – Well I don’t believe I was born to be or for mediocrity – no matter my hurdles

So what do YOU want in life? Instead of looking around look deep within or have you conformed to first attaining approval from everyone else thus almost being incapable of making your own decisions/choices about what truly makes you content?

But that said I’m not saying be selfish and prodigal in achieving greatness

We are meant to shine and we are created for greatness but not to the dismay or detriment of others – on the contrary your greatness should be able to assist others to shine – no competition but joyous and harmony in all in reach for true happiness

The opposite of greatness is triviality – so greatness being the positive of the latter the input should therefore be positive for a greater positive output

 conquer yourself before you can conquer the world

And what is conquering the world? - Well that too is left to your own defining

Though the fear of greatness as trivial as it may seem/sound is actually more complex and more in-depth and will just open up a whole can of worms; let me just summarize it as this:

A crippling fear is just that – very crippling but a fear nonetheless

An emotion so small yet so great that it determines your success (extreme or trivial)

Your success is what you make it to be no matter the measure – some limit it some are limitless

I know my greatest fear has always been what I CAN achieve never what I can’t – with that said – back to the basics

++

I don't assume to know anything about anything except myself but I will share my thoughts as they come - not limited to nor limited by my frame of reference for even frame of reference can be somewhat altered. For there's only one who knows all - the Alpha and Omega

++

GOD or amasiko? Is it wrong to practice your customs in the eyes of GOD?

For many of us, going to church became a norm because our parents brought us up in church. As much as that is true, we have been also practicing cultural customs – animal sacrifices and beer brewing. All of which are part of our African culture.
The same is true for the church, I mean we go there every Sunday and some of us know the bible in and out.

Over the years while growing up I have experienced a lot of debates that have to do with religion and culture. I mostly found that people confuse the two to be the same. Which in my opinion  I think is wrong.

We are first Africans before we choose religion; it is up to the individual’s influential factors that later determines where they want to be identified with.

“What is the difference between culture and religion?

Answer:

Culture is sort of an umbrella term defined by the traditions, language, art, food, and various attributes of a particular group (be it a group of five or an entire country).

Religion can be classified underneath the concept of "culture"; however, religion itself is a practice in which one seeks to commune with, and worship a power considered higher than one's Self.”

Source: /wiki.answers.com

As a human being I believe that there is most certainly a higher power greater than me, and as much believe that as a Xhosa I have the responsibility to keep my identity as a Xhosa and not to let the bible dictate to who I should be.

Don’t get me wrong mfowethu, I am not saying that I should disrespect the bible as a Christian, all I’m saying is that I was born Xhosa first before I was christened. I was raised a Xhosa hence I went through all the passages that I did, and I will practice the Xhosa customs until the day I die.

I feel if I abandon my Xhosa value system and customs, I would have abandoned my identity.

The same is true if I chose to be identified in another religion, I would not allow that religion to take over my identity.

The definition states that religion is underneath the concept “Culture”. What this tells me is that culture is as important as Religion in one’s life.

I mean the bible is filled with stories of people basically practicing their culture, e.g. They call teacher “Rabbi” which is a Hebrew word that the Jews speak. If the Bible was filled with stories of African descendants, would the Jews stop calling their Rabbis and start using terms like Mfundisi?

Would they stop calling God JEHOVA and start calling him THIXO?

 I think not….

For me religion is a way that I choose to worship the most high, the creator and our LORD GOD. It is the means that I was taught to consult from when I was wet behind the ears, and not my identity.

People should not confuse Religion with Culture

We are Africans that have their own rituals and customs to perform, let us not hide behind the bible and lose our identities and become lost children of this continent.

We are Africans and so we have the responsibility to take ownership of our identity so that our children do not lose their own identities.

These are the views of the real man.