SAMA 18 is out of tune

                                                         Cape Town International Jazz Festival Magazine

Unlike others in Southern Africa, South Africans love protesting. Whether it be about unenclosed toilets, the latest foul language out of Julius Malema`s mouth or women harassment at taxi ranks. A protest is the standard reply to anything deemed detrimental to society. A little of struggle gymnastics, i.e. toyi-toying goes a long way in highlighting a thorny issue.

Lately, it seems as if we are not alone in this. Other parts of the world are catching up on letting their voice heard. Over the past twelve months protest action saw the toppling of dictators in what has become known as the Arab Spring. The Occupy movement unleashed a wave of mass demonstrations aimed at highlighting inequalities in the world economic system. TIME magazine has  awarded its Man Of The Year award to “The Protester” in 2011.

And it is not only about politics. The world`s best known music awards ceremony, the Grammy Awards, are the latest to be targeted, correctly so I believe. While the world was focused on the awards show and more especially on the tribute paid to slain songbird and icon Whitney Houston, an affair of a lesser “news-worthy” kind was taking place outside the awards venue simultaneously. Shielded away from the glitz and glamour of the red carpet parade, a group of artists, producers and fans staged a demonstration on the outskirts of the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The demonstration followed a decision by the Recording Academy, the Grammy`s overseers, to scrap various ethnic and minority categories from the awards. These include Native American, Native Hawaiian, Gospel, Latin Jazz and Blues from those to be recognized and awarded in the awards. The Recording Academy maintained that it took the decision “in the interest of upholding the prestige of the awards.” Over 8 million people online signed a petition demanding the reversal of this decision.

Similarities can be drawn with the unfolding situation leading up to this year`s South African Music Awards, which take place annually in September. SAMA CEO Randall Abrahams` announcement of the downsizing of the awards from 60 to 30 hit a sour note with the industry and the music-buying public at large. While some approved of the move, a significant number of figures in the music industry expressed sheer discontentment at the news.

Kwaito king Arthur Mafokate, who will now have to contend for an award with hip-hop acts after both categories were combined, said, “This is the end of the SAMAs. Kwaito music represents what township music is all about, why would they just dump the category?”. “I think both hip hop and kwaito are huge categories which should stand alone.” Universal Music Director Tom Holder stated. “The decision will harm the artists financially, and harm the profile of the affected categories”, said a music fan. “They claim they are fighting for artists` rights, but they are killing our indigenous music. How on earth do you merge mbaqanga and maskandi? They are two different genres “cried Tshepo Ndzimande, a traditional music record executive.

While award organizers talk about the maintenance of vague ideals such as “prestige” and “global excellence”, it is the music industry itself which suffers the consequences of misinformed decisions taken by some within it. Why, as demonstrated in both the South African and American scenarios, are indigenous and traditional music forms targeted when downsizing? Aren`t national creative industries supposed to uphold, celebrate and assert their own national identity?

Artists, managers, record labels, the local arts media and the fans cannot stand by idly while indigenous and proudly South African music forms are being frog marched into oblivion. It should be the other way round. We as South Africans, as we always do, and like people elsewhere, should take to the streets and voice our condemnation against this blatant attack on our creative expression and culture.