iStart2Sing from the Mountain Tops of Rustler's Valley ...

"We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans both black and white will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world " – Nelson Mandela

Sello Hatang (CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation) shares the legacy

 of Madiba with the Naledi Village Community in Rustler's Valley.

"We say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the challenges of a sustainable world today and tomorrow, We still have a dream... It is a dream deeply rooted in the words of Nelson Mandela...

We have a dream that one day South Africa will rise up and live out the true meaning of Madiba's dream: "A world where the truth is self-evident: that all diverse people imagine a new future and a sustainable world together."

We have a dream that one day in the streets of every village. town and city our sons and daughters will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

We have a dream that one day even the World, a world sweltering with the heat of war, sweltering with the heat of climate change, will be transformed into an oasis of sustainability and peace.

We have a dream that the son of the sons of our sons will one day live in a world where they will not be affected by the greed of politicians, religious and business leaders, but by the actions of the character of leaders who create a sustainable world.

We have a dream today.

We have a dream that one day, all over the World, with its vicious extremists, with its leaders having their lips dripping with the words of division and denial; one day right here in the World, little Christian boys and girls will be able to join hands with little Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic and Hindu boys and girls as sisters and brothers.

We have a dream today.

We have a dream that one day every village, town and city shall have food, water and energy, the polluted places will be made clean, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of a united South Africa shall be revealed, and everybody shall see it together.

A new dawn beckons ...

This is our hope. This is the faith that we go back into the World with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to build together, to struggle together, to green together, to stand up for a sustainable world together, knowing that we will save this earth..

This will be the day when all the children of the World will be able to sing with a new meaning, "iStart2 sing from the mountain side..."

And if Madiba's dream is our dream this must become true. So let sustainability sing from the prodigious mountaintops of Rustler's Valley. Let sustainability sing from the mighty deserts of the Kalahari. Let sustainability sing from the diverse geography of the Cradle of Mankind, from the frightening waters of the Cape of Storms!

Let sustainability sing from the snowcapped Mountains of the Drakensberg in Kwazulu Natal...

Let sustainability sing from the curvaceous land of the Free State! Let it sing from Table Mountain to the Northwest...

But not only that; let sustainability sing from Mpumalanga to the Eastern Cape, from the Northern Cape to Mapungubwe!

Let sustainability sing from the Valley of a Thousand Hills!

Let sustainability sing from every township in Gauteng. From every province, let sustainability sing a song together.

And when this happens, when we allow a sustainable world, when we let it sing from every village and every town, from every city and every country, we will be able to speed up that day when all the children, abled and disabled, black men and white men, religious and non-religious people will be able to join hands and sing in the words of Nelson Mandela: "We have triumphed ..."
 (With Apology to Martin Luther King) 

"Rustler's Valley is sacred..."

 ... says Jay Naidoo whilst watching the community members of The Naledi Village gathering in the school classroom on a chilly Good Friday over the long weekend. A community who has become the proud owners in their own right to the 40 hectares of land housing EarthRise Mountain Lodge and the surrounding farm.

They have partnered with the non-profit EarthRise Trust to co-create a vision and strategy to develop community-driven livelihoods. Now, with exciting farming initiatives being developed and the lodge reconstruction complete, Naledi is entering a new phase of growth and development. The Naledi Village is the heart of Rustler's Valley ... 

 Japie Lephatsi and Anton Chaka, community elders in discussion with 

former Food and Allied Workers Union general secretary Mandla Gxanyana

 Anton Chaka explains the benefits of solar lights and thanks 

iStart2 and the WakaWaka Foundation 

for their generous contribution.

 The Naledi Community in Rustler's Valley starts2! 

A truly sacred place...

Follow our story and tune in to the iStart2 Show on Thursday 31 March 2016 at 17h30 for interviews with Jay Naidoo, Gino Govender and Anton Chaka to find out more about the exciting happenings at Rustler's Valley.
 
Pierre du Toit & Keitu Gwangwa host the iStart2 Show on Thursdays at 17h30. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 MW (AM) in greater Johannesburg and countrywide on ‪#‎DStv‬ audio channel 869. Radio Today also streams globally on www.1485.org.za.

Thank you to the community of Rustler's Valley for your wonderful hospitality. We left with hope for a better, sustainable future!

Upcoming events:

We hope to see you there! 

Tickets available here

 

A Sacred Khoisan Journey ... !Gubi Tietie and Pops Mohamed

The Khoi and San people, collectively known as the Khoisan were the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Their music played a central role in their rituals and is known for its polyphonic chants. For the Khoisan, music is a way to transcend to a cosmological existence where engagement with the ancestors is the purpose. Mimicking the movements of animals (such as the antelope) is expressed through the "trance dance". 

Pops Mohamed, icon of South African Traditional Music, is on a continuous journey to explore the music of the Khoisan and to bring it to the world. 

"I love to protect and preserve the many cultures that we have in Southern Africa to remind people of who we are. The indigenous sounds was dying a slow death. I play these instruments to remind people that we won't forget our roots," says Pops Mohamed on the iStart2 Show this week. 

He shared his excitement about the new album he is producing with !Gubi Tietie from the Kalahari in Namibia: 'When I listened to the music of the San people it was the most beautiful thing I could ever think of. We are collaborating with 87 year old !Gubi Tietie on his solo album to record and preserve the Khoisan music culture. The songs are based on !Gubi's life and what he's been going through. Recently he lost his wife and he has been having dreams about her. These songs have been coming down as revelations". 

"My mense moet water kry/ My people must get water" 

- !Gubi Tietie on the iStart2 Show

To listen to the interview with Pops Mohamed and !Gubi Tietie and a song from the new album, featuring Dudu Majola, just click play:



Thought of the Day:

Upcoming Events:

A sacred journey in Rustlers Valley
2 - 3 April 2016

EarthRise Trust and the Naledi Village Committee are having a fundraising event for the building of a creche, a multipurpose centre, an art centre and a playground for the 150-person community, of which 50 are children. Together we are committed to creating a culture of learning and building a positive pathway of hope and opportunity for them.

The event features well renowned musicians and chef - see poster below:

If you are unable to attend the event but want to make a contribution, please donate to the following bank account:

FNB Account: 62460061618
Branch Code: 25860500
Reference: Naledi Village Project

Thank you for your support and hope to see you soon at EarthRise Mountain Lodge.
 
iStart2Sing Show in Centurion on 22 April 2016

Join Pops Mohamed with guest Artists Andries Roof Bezuidenhout, Coenie de Villiers, Dudu Majola and the African rhythms of Sankobo Afrique for a very special musical experience! More info to follow soon!

Listen to !Gubi and Dudu Majola

Have a wonderful week!
 

Letter from Amsterdam ... Bart Luirink

"Dat kan niet!" is the message from former members of the Anti Apartheid Movement Netherlands (AABN). Their conviction prompted them to speak out in support of many South Africans who raise their voices against state capture and the defilement of shared ideals. "It is time that we remember the ideals we were driven by in those days", says Bart Luirink.
 
In an Open Letter to the ANC, published on Monday 7 March 2016, they spoke out in solidarity with long time South African friends who are the subject of police and other investigations. Read the letter here

We chatted to Bart Luirink, Dutch Anti-Apartheid Activist and Editor of ZAM MAGAZINE about his role in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, their open letter to the ANC and cultural exchange between South Africa and the Netherlands.

Conny Braam - Former Leader of AABN

Listen to the interview here:


Thought of the Day:

Upcoming Events: 


This Sunday 20 March at 16:00, Karin Hougaard, iStart2 Ambassador, will be singing at Atterbury Theatre. Her multilingual programme is called BALLADES /BALLADS. The show will include familiar well-known hits such as Bly, Storm, Kruietuin, but also several power ballads written by composers such as KD Lang, Alanis Morisette and Jim Steinman. Jaconell Mouton will accompany her on the piano and Luke van der Merwe on guitar. Book your ticket here.

Remember this date: 22 April 2016! Keep that night open for a concert of South African legends at the iStart2 Hub! Our line-up will be revealed on the iStart2 Show this week. Only on Radio Today!

Have a wonderful week!

Ingrid Jonker Tribute Album ... Paul Blom

The fusion of a legendary gifted poet's words and a host of exciting musicians resulted in  this amazing, artistic audio explosion: "The Child Is Still Younger" / "Die Kind Is Nog Jonger". Ingrid Jonker's daughter Simone (and her husband Ernesto) has endeavoured to compile an historic album of 36 artists inspired by her mother's timeless words. The Album features a wide and exciting range of musicians, bands and performers adapting her words into new musical creations. 

CD cover design: The child is still younger (Vernon Swart) 
Painting of Ingrid Jonker: Jonel Scholtz

The passionate, highly acclaimed and award-winning Ingrid Jonker tragically committed suicide fifty years ago by walking into the ocean, leaving behind a mystique and timeless, ever-relevant words. One of her most popular poems "The Child" / "Die Kind" was chosen by Nelson Mandela to read at his first ever state of the nation address in parliament as President of South Africa in 1994.

With all the songs recorded, mastered and ready to go, we're calling on you to join in with this campaign to enable the next step in getting this independent, historic release out into the world, breathing new life into Jonker's poetry, bringing it to those unfamiliar with her work, and reintroducing it to those who know it well.

We chatted to Paul Blom from Flamedrop Productions about the release, the crowdfunding campaign, his views on sustainability and listened to four songs from the Album.




Thought of the Day:

We can't wait to get the album "The Child Is Still Younger" / "Die Kind Is Nog Jonger" out to the universe, into your CD-player, mp3-device or turntable.
Please support this Ingrid Jonker crowdfunding campaign and get more details here or join the group page for regular updates here

Have a wonderful week!

Alien Boogie Stuff ... Somerfaan aka At Nel

The Somerfaan Master Chef recipe for a Kazinsky 2022:
1) Braai a choppie,
2) Drink lots of red wine,
3) Party until 2pm
4) Mix a Kraftwerk loop, 
5) Record a hungover, operatic Arno Carstens
6) Add a dash of Frank Opperman,

... and voila! You get one of the most exciting new song releases of the year.

"It jams all over the show," says At Nel aka Somerfaan about his latest album launched at Hell's Kitchen in Melville. Psychedelic, hip-hop, electronica, experimental, kraut rock stuff, even a little opera... a unique listening journey on Alien Boogie Stuff. We chat to At Nel about his collaborations,  listen to a few new creations and hear his commitment to create a better world. You just gotto love this guy! 

At Nel's passion for his music is contagious. We play Kazinsky 2022, Polisiehelikopter, Caveman shows wife and Happy Dancing Zombie (gonna be a huge hit) in his interview on the iStart2 Show. Listen to the podcast to hear more:



Thought of the Day:

Album Review: 
Somerfaan - Alien Boogie Stuff
 
It's 2016, you can go anywhere, you can do anything. Somerfaan's genre free album could be the soundtrack! 

Latin beats, Dubstep, William Boroughs cut ups, Tom Waits in a krautrock tumble dryer, 90's Rave, Hip Hop Opera and a treasure trove of other hybrid genre inventions play out with equal measures of humour and heart on At Nel's latest album 'Alien Boogie Stuff'. 

It's as if Madlib's Quasimoto grew up white and Afrikaans, spend time in the frayed edges of Jozi's unsettled Bez Valley playing in an Industrial band, only to later discover beats come in all flavours... even 'happy gas'. The album's closing track 'Happy Dancing Zombie' is brilliant Pop electronica, it tells of a time when the Faan was younger, when dancing made him feel free... it's cheesy, it's happy, it's cool. - Chris Keys

Polisiehelikopter

Get Alien Boogie stuff here
Enjoy!