Amandla !: A Revolution In Four-Part Harmony

African Americans are shown to have many cultures that have been passed on for many years by their ancestors. Each culture has a power that gives them the will to fight. In the documentary movie “Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony” produced by Sherry Simpson Dean has shown many symbols that have been used as power against the apartheid in those heavy times. The ideas that were expressed through songs, dances and images within the movie are unity, defiance and motivation; which are solutions to support a cause and further a culture through years of oppression. In the documentary movie, “Amandla!” produced by Dean, one idea expressed by the songs and dances in the South African freedom struggle is unity. During the 1970’s, many Africans

In the movie, “Amandla!” South African people would create hidden protest meetings. During those protests, they would sing “Amandla!” which indicated power to them. African Americans would live in a small area called the Meadowlands until the day they were forced to move. They would fill the streets singing and dancing because of the anger they had when they were forced to move away from their homelands. Hugh Masekela played music that was about the apartheid which involved about slavery, government, the hardships individuals were living. Masekela played “Stimela” at the concert which was about the trains that every African American had to take to get to their jobs in time because it was far from their homes and miners that were forced to go into the mines and die because they would not be given proper safety to help them. Toyi-toyi is a Southern African dance that was created to be used in political protests in South Africa. During the Soweto massacre, the situation became more difficult in the struggle for liberation. The dance became common because it was their weapon since they did not have technology of warfare, the tear of gas and tanks that was their way of fighting against them. They were tired and realized all they could do was sing and dance to express what they felt. The energy is what creates those emotions and make them continue no matter what difficulty they