Apartheid and its Resistance Heroes in Music Quiz

Answer: It was a system of brutal and unfair racial segregation that was legalised in South Africa up until the 1990s

Apartheid (literally meaning "apart-ness" in Afrikaans) was a system in South Africa whereby racial segregation was legalised by the ruling Government party at the time, the National Party (NP).

Between 1948 and 1990, the NP introduced various laws which essentially classed South Africans into "groups" according to their race, created homelands for the various racial groups; stripped non-whites of their voting rights; forbade marriage and sexual relations between people of different races; and various other laws which made it near impossible for people of different races to interact with each other.

The laws imposed were supposedly to encourage "separate development in order to preserve culture," but they really aimed to make whites "superior" to blacks, and were most unfair towards black people.

Answer: The Specials

The Specials (sometimes known as The Special A.K.A.) released "Free Nelson Mandela" on their 1984 album "In The Studio." Despite being recognised as a ska band for most of their career, "Free Nelson Mandela" was influenced by a lot of African music. At a college in Oxford at the same time of its release, a motion was passed to end every college disco with this song - a tradition which continues today! "Free Nelson Mandela" was a hugely popular protest song worldwide. Unfortunately, it would be six years from the song's release before Nelson Mandela would be freed from Robben Island.

In June 2008, Amy Winehouse performed the lead vocals of "Free Nelson Mandela" at Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations in London. However, there are some who claim that at certain points in the chorus, instead of singing the line "free Nelson Mandela," she sings "free Blakey my fella." This is a reference to her husband, a former drug dealer named Blake Fielder-Civil, who was imprisoned for assault in 2007. This caused a slight uproar, as many cannot believe that she would have the audacity to say that the imprisonment of a hero, and of a drug dealer, are on the same level.

Answer: Desmond Tutu

"Gimme Hope Jo'anna" was released in 1988 off Eddy Grant's album "File Under Rock." It was, and remains to this day, a popular anti-Apartheid anthem, and was initially banned by the South African Government.

Desmond Tutu is "the Archbishop who's a peaceful man" whom Eddy Grant refers to in the song. Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in the Transvaal area of South Africa. He initially followed in his father's footstep, and became a teacher, but resigned after the Bantu Education Act was passed in 1953, and instead went on to study theology, and was eventually ordained as an Anglican minister in 1960. Despite opposition, he was eventually appointed as the first black Anglican Dean of Johannesburg in 1975.

Tutu was also one of the key people in organising peaceful protest marches through Cape Town. Shortly after, the Apartheid system began to fall, and Nelson Mandela was released from prison. After Apartheid, Tutu headed up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and from 1986 to 1996, he was the Archbishop of Cape Town.

Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his peaceful opposition to Apartheid.

Answer: It's a popular casino resort in South Africa.

Steve Van Zandt, also known as Little Steve or Miami Steve, and a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, wrote "I Ain't Gonna Play Sun City" (although the song is also known as just "Sun City.") for Artists United Against Apartheid in 1985, which also came off the album called "Sun City."

Whilst on a trip to South Africa, Van Zandt noticed the sordidness of the place called Sun City, and decided to try and create a new kind of "We Are The World," which he described as "a song about change not charity, freedom not famine." He persuaded several renowned artists and bands to form Artists United Against Apartheid, including U2, Joey Ramone, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Lou Reed, and many others besides.

"I Ain't Gonna Play Sun City" didn't fair too well on American charts because it criticised some of Ronald Reagan's policies, and (surprise, surprise) was also banned in South Africa. However, it has since come to be recognised as one of the most powerful and influential anti-Apartheid songs.

Sun City is a casino resort located in the North West Province of South Africa. In the Apartheid era, the Government recognised it as an independent state where entertainment that would otherwise have been deemed inappropriate was allowed. It now comprises of several hotels and chalets; central gambling area; several restaurants; a Super Bowl Concert area; a couple of golf courses; and the ever popular "Valley of the Waves."

Answer: The Housemartins

"Johannesburg" came off the Housemartins' 1987 album, "The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death." It was clearly meant to be quite a political album, because in addition to protesting against Apartheid in South Africa, it also took a poke at the British royal family.

"Johannesburg," which is the name of one of the big cities in South Africa, was almost a "message" to the Apartheid government. It said in a very poetic way, that if Apartheid didn't come to an end, no other country would want anything to do with South Africa.

Answer: It's Wrong (Apartheid)

"It's Wrong (Apartheid)" came off the legendary Stevie Wonder's 1985 album "In Square Circle." It has not attained the popularity of some of Stevie Wonder's other hits, despite being a very political song.

"It's Wrong (Apartheid)" likens the atrocities of Apartheid to the Holocaust, and slavery, and states that it's a terrible crime against humanity, and that all those who support and enforce it will be judged.

Answer: He was a white soldier, unwillingly drafted into the South African army.

"Weeping" was written by a man called Dan Heymann. He was drafted into the South African army in 1983, and during that time, he composed the instrumental parts. When the Apartheid government called a State of Emergency and began to impose bans and censor the media, Heymann began to have ideas for the lyrics of "Weeping."

The song was first released in South Africa in 1987, where it enjoyed two weeks in the number one spot (despite the government not being too happy about this). The first time it was brought to international attention was when Josh Groban, along with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, recorded it for his 2006 album, "Awake."

The song is essentially talking about Hendrik Verowerd (the man who was living in fear), who really did live in fear that if he didn't suppress black people, they would rise up and kill all the whites (which was, very obviously, not true). The chorus indicates that the "monster" that Verwoerd thought he was dealing with was not actually a "monster" at all, but just people, wanting to be able to live without fear, and live in a free and fair country.

Answer: All of these

Peter Gabriel wrote the song "Biko" for his third album, "Peter Gabriel," which was released in 1980. The song has since been covered by other prominent artists, such as Joan Baez, Simple Minds, Ray Wilson, and Robert Wyatt.

Steven Biko was born on the 18th of December 1946, and was a notable anti-Apartheid activist. He is credited for having started the Black Consciousness Movement, which played a huge part in empowering and motivating members of the black urban population. In 1977 he was arrested at a police roadblock, and accused of terrorism.

Biko suffered at the hands of the police while in custody, and eventually died from brutal head injuries that he had received from his captors, at the Pretoria prison on the 12th of September, 1977. The police claimed that he had died from an "extended hunger strike," but then journalist Helen Zille exposed the truth.

Due to his fame, news of Biko's murder made headlines internationally, and opened the eyes of many to the brutal and oppressive Apartheid regime.

Answer: A film

The song "Cry Freedom" comes off the album "Crash," the second studio album of the Dave Matthews Band. "Crash" was released in 1996. Dave Matthews, the lead singer, was born in South Africa in 1967, at the heights of the Apartheid era.

However, "Cry Freedom" was a film first! Directed by Richard Attenborough and shot in Zimbabwe, "Cry Freedom" told the true story of Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, as well as the story of Donald Woods, a South African journalist. Denzel Washington played Steve Biko, and Kevin Kline played Donald Woods.

As a point of interest, "Cry Freedom" is often believed to be the name of Alan Paton's novel protesting the social structures that would later come to be called Apartheid. However, the name of this book is in fact "Cry, The Beloved Country."

Answer: It was calling for Nelson Mandela's release from Robben Island.

"Asimbonanga (Mandela" came off well known South African artist, Johnny Clegg's 1987 album, "Third World Child" in collaboration with his band, Savuka. The song's lyrics are in both Zulu and English, and hail four resistance heroes from the Apartheid era, namely Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Victoria Mxenge, and Neil Aggett. However, as you may have surmised from the title of the song, it's about Nelson Mandela in particular, calling for his release from Robben Island.

It was considered to be an incredibly political and "controversial" song within South Africa, because Johnny Clegg (a white man) collaborated with black musicians (there were three white members and three black members in the band), which was frowned upon by the Apartheid government.

The rough translation of the Zulu chorus that you read in the question is:

"We have not seen him
We have not seen Mandela
In that place where he is
In that place where he is kept."

Nelson Mandela was released from Robben Island on the 11th of February 1990, and was elected as South Africa's 11th President in the country's first completely democratic elections on the 27th of April 1994.

He celebrated his 90th birthday on the 18th of July, 2008.

I really hope that you enjoyed this quiz, and that you gained insight into both political music, and some South African history. I'd appreciate all comments. Have a fabulous day!