The journey home was long and bumpy, but after the first 20 hours, we all had a fairly relaxed outlook and I heard students talking about their jobs, their families and their lives back in the US.  I could tell that they were ready to re-enter, though I felt that Dennis and I were just getting our South African pace going.  My ability to re-enter should be strengthened with each visit, but I find that I am still unready to pick up the tempo of American life until a few days pass. Appalachian class with Bhekani Buthelezi (2nd from left back row) and Herman Oosthuizen, far right ..read more

Now We sit on South African Airways plane headed home.  Zoom.... See you soon! After a long farewell concert performed in a black box  theater without lights or electricity, we hugged Mrs. File and Mr. Buthelezi one last time ..read more

At 3:00 p.m, Monday, May 20. A hundred or so students have been gathered outside the admin building of UniZulu where I am in a meeting  for the past hour.  The staff here in the building are not concerned, since they have not received any texts or emails of alert.  After someone from UZ management addressed the crowd, they sometimes cheered, sometimes chanted and sang, but eventually they dispersed. Apparently, more gatherings of this nature have taken place over the past year.  If the issues really serious and the tone of the crowd aggressive; they are called "toyi-toyi" a ..read more

Our studies in Zululand began today.  After a greeting and photo session  from the Vice Chancellor NM Mazibuko, Sister Biyela, Professor of Language in Arts and Education gave us a lesson in speaking isiZulu.  Students quickly picked up the words' but we are all challenged by the click sounds.  At every meeting, Appalachian students greet our Zulu colleagues with a song. Singing for our fundisa (teacher) Dr. And Sister Gloria Biyela ..read more

Searching for Venda folkloric music led us to Soewto where people of many languages live and sing in the same choirs. In the choir UJ Soweto. Here is the way one song ends after a tiring  dance and beautifully sung explanation of why a woman has a light skinned baby.  ..read more

Lecture Hall at the University of the Witwatersrand professor David Coplan, Anthropologist, South African Music  ..read more

A little fuzzy from thousands of miles away! And that is how we felt until the singing began. The choir on the Soweto campus of UJ started our "meet and greet" with the swapping of songs.  Here we are learning a song from the Tsonga tradition and moving ....dancing together ..read more

August is Women's Month and August 9 is Women's Day in South Africa.  Women's Day is a pubic holiday, so activities range from musical and performing arts events to lectures and speeches, and even to cookouts called braais, like the one I am attending today.  It is delightful to be greeted by friends and colleagues who say "Happy Women's Day!" and I was inspired to share some stories about some of the most important women in my life.  As a part-time African, I should begin with my elders, and I'll keep sharing more inspiring women from both my American and South African realms as the month con ..read more

I taught some folk dances and singing games to children at a Three2Six school celebration last week, that included hot dogs, face painting, novelty races and a good time had by all.  A Three2Six school is a school for refugee children who do not attend regular public school due to their difficult circumstances, and primarily because they do not have birth certificates.  So they are taught from 3:00-6:00 in the afternoon at school sites throughout Johannesburg, funded by donors.  Our site was Sacred Heart College.  Sacred Heart and its administrators defied racial segregation during apartheid ..read more

I attended the launch of an animated educational series for high school students at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg.  The court is located on Constitution Hill, a historic location where many well-known South African leaders were jailed and tried.  The campaign being celebrated is an educational resource for school children, because preliminary research revealed that only 51% of South Africans were aware of the Constitution and the related Bill of Rights.  Of those who were aware of their rights, most learned from the school children in their families.  Thoko Mpumlwana, Bill Cis ..read more