Castle Milk Stout has partnered with musicians Yanga Chief and Ntate Stunna to celebrate AfriKaraoke Campaign and inspire a cultural revival through traditional song. Picture: Supplied
As South Africa kicks off heritage month renowned South African artists Yanga Chief and Ntate Stunna have joined forces to celebrate and preserve African traditional songs.
Castle Milk Stout has launched the cultural initiative the AfriKaraoke Campaign with some notable artists who were chosen for their musical talents but also for their powerful social commentary on culture, making them ideal ambassadors to bridge the gap between generations and inspire young adults to reconnect with their heritage.
Afrikaraoke is based on the insight that the urban young adults of today do not know the lyrics or meaning to traditional songs, and this puts the longevity of these songs at risk and removes the significant meaning these songs play at traditional ceremonies.
Yanga Chief and Ntate Stunna journey to their rural homes in Eastern Cape and Free State, where they meet their elders to learn the lyrics and meaning to traditional songs.
Their journey home also reflects deep connections to their cultural roots.
Filmed in QwaQwa, Free State, and Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, the artists explore the songs performed at significant African traditional ceremonies, such as weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies, and moments of mourning.
Through their unique experiences, the artists highlight the significance of these songs and their role in preserving African cultural identity.
Yanga Chief, who hails from Queenstown was happy to get a chance to go home, as being based in the city of gold, busy schedules don’t allow him to home often.
“To go home and see how people are preserving your own culture that you come from and how relatable it still is to what you do everyday in Joburg,” said the rapper.
Ntate Stuna, whose segment of the docu series was filmed in Qwa-Qwa, was excited to showcase his roots.
“Going home with an experienced production team like that and documenting at home was beautiful. This campaign is about preserving our identity and ensuring that the music and traditions of our ancestors are not forgotten.”
The campaign was officially launched at The Artistry in Sandton on Tuesday and festivities were hosted by radio and television personality Smash Afrika.
The Afrikaraoke Docu Series premieres on SABC 1 on Heritage Day, September 24 and a repeat broadcast on September 28.
IOL Entertainment