II. Connection and Parallelism with Poetry

This intersection between art and protest parallels the works of exiled South African poets. Dennis Brutus explains that exile gave him “the chance to renew the struggle under new circumstances” (Legum 152).

Brutus was born in 1924, the elder of Makeba and Masekela, and experienced greater involvement in the anti-apartheid movement prior to his exile. It was his lead position in the South African Sports Association (SASA) that led to his arrest, house-arrest, and finally exile in 1966. Through his imprisonment and exile period poetry, he rightly gained the reputation as a “committed writer” with “unswerving devotion to his country” (Alvarez-Pereyre 144). Chidi Amuta, in his book The Theory of African Literature, describes Brutus’ connection of protest and poetry: “Brutus’s career as a poet, which is an accompaniment to his other involvements, is conditioned by the same socio-political pressures as his political action. In essence, the struggle for freedom constitutes the overriding concern in Brutus’ poetry” (179). For Brutus, “poetry became a principal channel for political expression,” (Legum 155) as he uses poetry to serve various functions of continuing his fight against apartheid. These functions include expressing his attachment to South Africa, remembering the atrocities of apartheid, and sounding a call of action against apartheid.

However, Brutus also recognizes that his poetry can not be the only mode of protest against apartheid. He implicates the importance of music. From prison, he writes "Letters to Martha #12" (Brutus, “A Simple Lust” 62):

Nothing was sadder
there was no more saddening want
than the deadly lack
of music.
…
Even in the cosy days
of "awaiting trial" status
it was the deprivation
and the need
that one felt most.

In earlier Letters to Martha poems, he describes the “steel-bright horror” (#2) and the “coprophilism; necrophilism; fellatio; penis-amputation” (#5). However, he cites the lack of music as the greatest deprivation. Brutus again states music’s significance in a poem from exile "Today in Prison":

Today in prison
by tacit agreement
they will sing just one song:
Nkosi Sikekela;
slowly and solemnly
with suppressed passion
and pent up feeling

Here, he identifies music’s ability to serve as an outflow of ‘passion’ and ‘feeling,’ ideal for the cause of antiapartheid. Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela are examples of those taking this call of musicians. Music for them functions in parallel and complementary ways to Brutus’ poetry. Their distinct musical style establishes their continuing connection to South Africa despite exile. They use politically charged lyrics to raise awareness among their listeners in the hope that they would join in the struggle against apartheid. And Makeba and Masekela’s musical success generated additional opportunities to promote antiapartheid. Because of music’s engaging quality, these functions are especially effective in raising awareness. This ability of music is portrayed through Masekela’s remembrance of a man telling him: “Man I’d like to be part of your revolution, because the people are always dancing and singing” (Amandla!).