Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

I hadn't intended to live in South Africa. In fact, I doubt I would even have visited it had it not been for Dad's gaining a contract out there and he and Mum settling there for two or three years. I accompanied my siblings out for a holiday visit... but due to Mac3, aged nine and one month, developing what turned out to be the same disease that plagued me all my life (Rheumatoid Arthritis), when the middle girls returned to school, we stayed. (He was initially misdiagnosed as having Rheumatic Fever and, therefore, to be immobilised for fear of stress on the heart - whole other story and not mine, but his.) Six months in 1978. In a country I was philosophically and morally challenged by. It still had some way to go before ridding itself (mostly) of the evil of apartheid. One of the few things I loved was the music. Now, SA has a thriving musical market, just as any other modern society does. Like Nigerian afro-beats, the SA rhythms all reflect the tribal heritage - mainly Zulu and (as in this case) Xhosa. This lady died 20 years ago, tragically early, but she was known as the Queen of Music - or Africa's Madonna.