We rarely have the opportunity to conduct interviews in our home city of NYC. But, today, renowned South African musician, Vusi Mahlasela, was in town and we caught up with him in one of the dressing rooms at Lincoln Center Jazz.

Before we began discussing his beginnings and how he has been influenced by the political climate and social issues of South Africa, Vusi sang a song for us -- a beautiful lullaby, called “A Prayer for Our Time.” Vusi sings in several different languages and it was really challenging for me to try and decide which launguage was the most poetic.

Like many musicians whose music came out of South Africa during the Apartheid era, such as Miriam Makeba or Hugh Masekela, Vusi has many stories to share about the artistic fight for freedom. Unlike other black South Africans during the Apartheid era, black musicians often had less trouble moving around the country, since they were usually travelling from gig to gig.

It is due to this fairly unrestricted mobility that artists, like Vusi, were able to help in the struggle for freedom: attending rallies, delivering messages, and, most often, incorporating political messages into their songs and poems. However, this freedom also came with the threat of imprisonment and even exile. Music, writing, and art have always been powerful instigators for change during times of oppression. The arts in Apartheid-era South Africa were greatly feared and heavily monitored by those in charge.

Vusi shared the story behind my favorite song of his, “When You Come Back.” This song was written when some of his fellow political activists were exiled, or banished, from South Africa. In the song, he asks, “Will they beat the drums when you come back?” These lyrics express Vusi’s hope that his friends might all return home to a hero’s welcome and a better South Africa.

When Vusi isn’t performing, he spends his time working with his foundation, the Vusi Mahlasela Music Development Foundation (VMMDF), and Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Foundation. Part of VMMDF’s mission is to spread awareness about the loss of indigenous music. Vusi knows a great deal about how the South African government restricted music during apartheid. Of Vusi’s stories about censorship during apartheid, the one that resonated with me most was about how radio stations were restricted. If a DJ was caught attempting to play a record that celebrated traditional South African instruments or musicians, the authorities would scratch the record so it could no longer be played. This diminished access to indigenous music led to a generation of South African youth having limited knowledge of traditional instruments. Vusi and VMMDF are attempting to restore this nearly-lost art form.

Vusi’s insights about his past and South Africa’s future were very inspiring. And, before we parted, he ended our conversation with the following thought:

There is wisdom in forgiveness,

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