HELEN

• The physical separation of the townships from (previously) white towns & the fact that they're 100% black
• The difference between shanty towns & townships & the squalor of the former, from what we could see
• The old ladies! On the one hand their poverty,  on the other their spirit, the welcome they gave us, their singing & dancing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The Zulu dancers in the school - passion, pride in their tradition & culture, lack of self consciousness. Wow!
• The 24 hour security/armed response notices on the wire surrounding houses everywhere we went.
• The agricultural project & its aims - to develop skills/employment, feed those who need it
• Cultural things, like talk about traditional healing in relation to curing HIV/AIDS
• People like Mr Masina & his different roles in the community - headteacher, preacher, choir leader, community leader & dancer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Seeing Africans walking along roads, sometimes with umbrellas. Roadside stalls.
• The funeral. Sophie's blanket (buried with her). The music. The eulogies. Digging the grave.

• The hospice & conflicting feelings. White-run. corporate funding & the necessity for this. Catholic organisation (any teaching about the use of condoms?) Completely inadequate to meet the needs of the district which includes several townships
• The number of people who died while we were there or whose funerals were mentioned.
• The Mine - change in ownership, fears about foreign workers being brought in, how long it will be viable. Elsa's delight at getting a permanent job

 

• Feeling very humbled by the generosity of our hosts, The Diamond Choir, and also the people we met during the projects we visited.
• Feeling like V.I.P guests when we visited the Schools. The spirit and effort that the children put into their singing and dancing was incredible - they are so full of life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Seeing the Old Ladies’ faces light up as we walked into the township Community Hall (surprise visit). They sang and danced for us - again, very humbling. A once in a lifetime experience!
• The sadness of Maureen's daughter's funeral, but at the same time, the demonstration of the community's togetherness - so many people came to pay their respects. Very moving!

 

• I experienced how uplifting it is to sing every day and I still miss it.
• The spontaneous singing whenever we were all together was wonderful
• It was extraordinary to greet and be greeted each and every day with so much warmth, I think we all felt liberated by it and it spurred our singing to new heights.   

 

For more photos and videos of the UK - SA visit, see:

www.dropshots.com/choirsinharmony