Miriam Makeba brought change to her country and her life through the power of music. In a time of racial segregation and apartheid, Miriam Zenzile Makeba was born on 4 March 1932 in Johannesburg, South Africa to a Swazi Sangoma mother and a Xhosa father. No one could have predicted what influence little Miriam would amount to. Makeba helped expose the cruelty of apartheid to the world as well as introduced the rich and profound culture of South Africa simultaneously, all through her passion: music.
Her career began in the 1950s when she was featured with the Manhattan Brothers. She gave birth to her only child, her daughter, Bongi in 1950 when she was 18. Then she discovered she had breast cancer. However, she recovered and did not let that hinder her progress. She also became a member of an all girl group: Miriam Makeba and the Skylarks. After she moved on to become the lead of the successful South African musical, King Kong, helping to launch her international career. In the late 50s, she released her famous song as a single, Pata Pata.
Although she was usually pictured smiling and her songs were lively, Makeba faced tribulations and hardships in life. Makeba spent 31 years of her life in exile. She was on tour and wanted to return for her mother’s death when she discovered the South African government had revoked her passport in 1960. She was banned for her successful participation in the anti-apartheid film, Come Back to Africa directed by film director, Lionel Rogosin in 1959. Also, that same year she had a brief marriage to South African singer, Sonny Pillay. During the 60s, she rose to fame internationally. She met and performed with Harry Belafonte at John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration in 1962 at Madison Square Garden. Later on in 1963, she testified against apartheid before the United Nations. In 1964, she wedded Hugh Masekela a fellow South African trumpeter, but the two divorced two years later. She went on to win a Grammy for her album with Harry Belafonte in 1966, becoming the first African to do so. However, her success in America came short when she married Black Panther, Stokely Carmichael in 1968. Although she was never banned or exiled, her concerts and tours were cancelled. Makeba was condemned for being a political activist and radical. Despite all the revolutionary and civil right influence in her music, she stated “I don’t know what the word means. People think I consciously decided to tell the world what was happening in South Africa. No! I was singing about my life, and in South Africa we always sang about what was happening to us especially the things that hurt us.” She only used what she loved to inform about her life and the injustices she experienced. During her marriage with Stokely Carmichael causing her lack of success in the United States, she relocated to Guinea taking the international stage in Europe, Africa, and Asia in 1968. Regardless of the backlash that she faced with her marriage to Stokely Carmichael, she said in an interview, “He was somebody I loved, who loved me, and it was my life”. However, their marriage was not everlasting and they divorced in 1973.
In 1985, Makeba lost her only child to childbirth. She was unable to be there for funeral due to her exile and was unable to provide a proper casket because of monetary issues. Due to poor advising, she lost most right to royalties on her big songs. She consequently moved to Brussels. Her ex-husband and colleague Hugh Masekela introduced her Paul Simon, then she went on the Graceland tour with him. Consequently, she signed on with Warner Bros. Records. Upon the release of Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba was granted a return to South Africa. Makeba said in an airport interview, “I’m very happy to be home, But I think I’ll be even happier when I can come back to sing before my people, where I’ll not have to explain my songs because they will understand.”
However, the great legend met her end after a concert supporting an author in his activism against the mafia’s organized crime in Caserto, Italy. She had a heart attack as she was leaving stage and passed away not so long after on 9 November 2008. She was 76. She left behind her two grandchildren, Zenzi and Nelson, and three great-grandchildren. She left behind nation who had come to love and appreciate her. She left behind her legacy. Miriam Makeba’s family recalled her saying numerous times that ‘”I will sing until the last day of my life”.
Throughout her life, she was exiled and abandoned by her family, awarded a Grammy, married five times, predeceased by her daughter and unborn grandchild, dined with great leaders, granted nine passports and ten honorary citizenships, released 30 studio albums and 19 compilations, and furthermost she did what she loved throughout it all and died doing what she loved: singing. Now her legacy and influence remains.
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