MARIAM MAKEBA SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE WORLD
BY SPYROS PETER GOUDAS
Miriam Makeba latest performance
South African legend Miriam Makeba dies - 10 Nov 2008
Miriam Makeba, or 'Mama Africa', the South African singer who wooed the world with her sultry voice, has died at the age of 76, leaving a great legacy behind.
Zenzile Miriam Makeba was born in Johannesburg in 1932.
Her mother was a Swazi sangoma (traditional healer-herbalist).
Her father, who died when she was six years old, was a Xhosa.
When she was eighteen days old, her mother was arrested for selling umqombothi, an African homemade beer distilled from malt and cornmeal. Her mother was sentenced to a six-month prison term, so Miriam spent her first six months of life in jail.
As a child, she sang in the choir of the Kilmerton Training Institute' in Pretoria, a primary school that she attended for eight years.
Her professional career began in the 1950s when she was featured in the South African jazz group the Manhattan Brothers, and appeared for the first time on a poster.
She left the Manhattan Brothers to record with her all-woman group,
The Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional melodies of South Africa.
As early as 1956, she released the single for "Pata Pata".
The single was played on all the radio stations and made her known throughout all of South Africa.
Though she was a successful recording artist, she was only receiving a few dollars for each recording session and no provisional royalties and was keen to leave home
The year 2020 and still I just can't get enough of this song...Malaika, mali tu ndio sina Bless you, Mariam, you were indeed a wonderful inspiration to the African Musical Culture. May the Angels sing with you in Heaven in praise of the Almighty. In Jesus' name.
I love this woman and the way she passed the freedom song. may she rest in Peace
A Luta continua it's a Portuguese slang used till today in Portugal after the fall of fascism in 74. Because in that time we had a try to implant again the fascism and other communists lol.
I compiled this audiovisual tribute to former President Nelson Mandela based on a song by that other great icon of South Africa, the late Miriam Makeba.
A legend, great woman, we thank God you were here on earth... RIP Mama Africa WOW when Miriam Makeba comes in at 0:26 my heart melted
This is what I call being truly African. Come on this is The African Queen...Our Mother...