Censorship continues to silence musicians

TURKEY - Music and censorship remains a very complex subject, one that invokes emotions as I witnessed recently, especially when the censorship is political and linked to one group's desire to continue to hold on to power by muzzling dissenting voices.

The two-day Freemuse conference I attended in Istanbul opened my eyes to the brutality of music censorship as I listened to testimonies of the singers and players in the music industry.

My heart bleeds as I remember all the testimonies on how governments have arrested and harassed people for simply expressing themselves through art and music. Although the conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey still has got a long way to overcome music censorship. I have asked myself questions over and over again on censorship of music since the conference.

I wonder what really happens in the minds of the people who frustrate musicians for their talents. Is it power or they do not like music at all. I may not be a singer but I cannot survive without music. For me music is like food to my soul and it keeps me going, especially now when I'm thousands of miles away from home.

Music comes in different languages and rhythms even if one does not understand the language you will always find yourself dancing, listening or imitating the sound of the music.
How many times have we found ourselves wriggling to ndombolo music from Democratic Republic of Congo? Maybe even singing along to our favourite gospel, hip-hop, kwaito, jazz, reggae musicians. The list will go on and on.

Music can be banned but the voices of the singers will never be silenced. People will always be eager to listen to the banned music.

I recall my days in Zimbabwe. One day I was travelling from the city to Chitungwiza.With the terrible transport problems plaguing our country, I was very lucky on that particular day to catch a lift with this one gentleman.

There was music playing in his car but I could not put finger the musician. I had never heard the music before on the radio. But I liked it music a lot. He played this particular music all the way from the city to Chitungwiza.

I listened carefully to the lyrics and the rhythm of the music and it sounded like protest music because there was a song on Kamuzu Banda. The man continued to play the music over and over again, it seemed he knew that I was enjoying it. I was disappointed when in no man’s time we had reached Makoni Shopping Centre. I mumbled a thank you to the driver and paid for my ride.

I wanted to leave without saying anything but my heart continued pushing me to ask the driver the name of singer and how to obtain the music. He told me it was Raymond Majongwe and gave me his details on how to obtain it.

I misplaced his contact but I was so grateful that I had listened to Raymond Majongwe´s music which has been banned from the Zimbabwean radio. The government have been uncomfortable with Majongwe´s music because it is too critical.

He is still fighting it out with the government to have his music aired in Zimbabwe. He has found solace in people who distribute his music on the streets hence some play his music in comfort of their cars or homes.

Whilst Thomas Mapfumo, the Chimurenga music guru has found a new home in United States after facing a blackout of his critical songs in Zimbabwe, the struggle continues for other musicians facing resistance from the government.

In many countries governments, radio, television even print media frustrate musicians by not playing or writing about them but the public will always find ways to obtain those banned copies.
I think censoring music will never silence the singers who are censored by oppressive governments.

Roger Lucily, a South African singer lived in hell during the apartheid era because his music was banned by the government. It was so touching as I watched him and Paul Erasmus, a former police agent who destroyed his music during the apartheid era. They embraced and Lucily forgave the former police agent.

Will we be able to live through an era where musicians, radio presenters, musicians, police or journalists will ever work together for their country’s common good and forgive each other for past transgressions?

Brenda Moyo, a renowned radio presenter on the former Radio 2 presenter suffered under Jonathan Moyo’s regime. She was struck off the station’s register after she had played two blacklisted songs.

“For a month or so my name was erased from the programme shift by Alan Ndoro and Deans Mutume. I had played Black Roots song Jongwe and Portia Gwanzura´s song Zvinhu Zvanetsa. It was during the presidential elections. I was just surprised that my name was struck off the station register because my Supervisor, Grey Moyo knew that I would play the songs even before the programme.”

After working for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation for 18 years Brenda was forcibly retrenched from the Station.

Many popular radio presenters found themselves on the streets because they could play according to Jonathan’s Moyo tune.

Now Brenda Moyo is based in America working for the Voice of America and some of her colleagues are scattered around the globe. Some are in the UK and South Africa all because the government of Zimbabwe wanted to blacklist musicians for their contemporary songs.

Music will always play a major role in our lives even though some powerful people may try to ban it.
I learned a lot from my short stint in Turkey; music still will be cherished even if it takes a hundred years, when some of us will be gone.