By the 1980's many in the world were looking to the South Africa government to end the brutal Apartheid practices that denied basic human rights to the vast majority of the population. Condemnation by the United Nations, in the form of a cultural ban stated:
“The United Nations General Assembly makes the request to all states to prevent all cultural, academic, sporting and other exchanges with South Africa. This is also an appeal to writers, artists, musicians and other personalities to boycott South Africa. It urges all academic and cultural institutions to terminate all links with South Africa."
One instance of the cultural boycott was a group of musical artists who decided that they would not perform in Sun City (think South Africa's Las Vegas). Let by Steve Van Zandt of The E Street Band, artists got together to perform this song. In this age of MTV and We Are the World this very catchy song caught the attention of many people around the world who might not have otherwise been aware of the practices in South Africa. Watch the video and see if you recognize any of the artistes (ask your parents or grandparents and see if they recognize any of them).
Consider, what effect might a ban on cultural activity (read: the arts) have on artists in South Africa?
Not all artists agreed with the idea of boycotting the arts in South Africa. One in particular was Paul Simon (then of Simon and Garfunkel fame). He thought that the unique sounds of South Africa were being ignored and left to die away. He went to South Africa and worked with a variety of different South African Musicians to create the songs on the album Graceland.
Read about the controversy surrounding this act of defiance (Simon was sanctioned and boycotted by the UN for going against their cultural sanctions until 1987).
The album went on to sell six million copies in its first year - between 14-16 million to date - and took home the Album of the Year at the Grammys. This single work brought the sounds of South African musicians to international audiences. The music as well as the controversy made people who had never heard about south African Apartheid sit up and take notice.
Today's prompt: Which way do you think you would have gone in the cultural boycott: boycott and refuse to play in South Africa or defy the boycott and bring your music out into the world? Explain why .
It would grab more attention, and make South Africa somewhere people will take more notice too. And then more people would start learning about what's going on there, and Apartheid will be exposed when people start to investigate what's going on. Because there's really no other reasons, for the cultural boycott unless there was an issue to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI would try my best to boycott South Africa but also want to bring the issue at hand to the spotlight. I would do something that wouldn't totally support South Africa but would get the attention of the world to show them whats happening.
ReplyDeleteI think defying the boycott and continuing to bring music in the world is more effective, than not. Boycotting and not playing music only hurts those who make music. When people stop doing something they love, I think it only hurts them. Others will find a way around the world without the arts. They would remember the history of it or teach future generations. Going against the majority and proving everyone wrong has the most effect.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott and refuse to play. Refusing to play shows that they feel silenced just like we are silencing our music. It also shows how certain places wouldn't even care if they let us not play and start to loose the South African culture
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. It might be a silent way of letting them know we are not OK with what's happening. Not playing our music would keep a sense of us to strictly us.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. Silence speaks louder in some instances. It speaks out for the people and brings light to the situation. In return also making bigger problems. It could hurt us financially at first but brings the point across that although the music is happy not everything is as happy as it seems.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. this is because some people just don't see what other people see. so boycotting would let people know about how people are feeling when talking about what is going on. even though its silent.
ReplyDeleteI would probably boycott and refuse to play in South Africa. Boycotting in play is a silent way to let people know that we don’t want to do this. It is almost the exact same as us people silencing our own music. Problems do occur by not supporting South Africa, but it shows an understanding that this can hurt people in an financial way and no one wants this.
ReplyDeleteI think that it would have been more effective to hold onto the boycott until change began with the Apartheid movement. Actions always speak louder than words. I found what Paul Simon did very interesting, but I think it might have made more sense to stick with the boycott for longer before he publicly refused it for the whole world to see. At the same time, the music and culture of South Africa should never be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI would have boycotted became silence can be strong.Itt argues that although the music is happy, it isn't always as happy as it seems. Through silence they would be able to express with out noise.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. I would 100% be willing to sacrifice the furthering of my music career in order to fight for something I believe in. Even if boycotting is not a huge way of fighting back, being a musician who boycotts playing could be more influential.
ReplyDeleteI would not have boycotted to give the people in the apartheid movement hope and to shine light on the situation so people know what is happening and help stop it.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. I do believe that if the issue was affecting myself and the nation around me, I would do what I think is right, which is boycotting. It would make a huge statement. Plus, if music is what I love, I would take that time to appreciate the art on my own, and not to the public.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely boycott. Boycotting is a way to fight for what you believe in. I feel that furthering your own music career would be selfish when you could fight for what's right instead. Sometimes you have to sacrifice something you love doing to help people in need!
ReplyDeleteI would definitively have boycotted, because actions speak louder than words, and I will fight for I believe in. People would definitely begin to notice if there were people stopped performing in Sun City, and it would be bad for business, so hopefully they would start to realize the impact of what they were doing.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. Boycotting is a form of protest that would make them u detest and what you are fighting for. The issue is affecting the people of this nation and boycotting would make it right.
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ReplyDeleteI would definitely boycott. Because it's important to stand and say that that's not okay. And playing music or having art is only going to draw people in. So I would give my art to some place else because I still think its important to bring art into the world.
ReplyDeleteI think boycotting would bring more attention to the cause and shows others what you believe is right.
ReplyDeletei would boycott south africa because it would bring attention to the issue to make them more aware that this is not okay
ReplyDeleteI would boycott because when someone uses their public platform for good and to help others that is much more affective than anything else. People will see what you are doing and get a better appreciation for the cause, hopefully this will get others to join you in boycott.
ReplyDeleteBoycott and refuse to play. By doing that, it would bring more awareness because then people would wonder why. It also could cause other artists to follow suit and refuse to play there, putting a blow to entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. If lots of people did this, people would start to notice that there was a problem because nobody would be playing there and it could draw attention to the reason why.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott and refuse to play. The silence of the musicians would bring attension. It would show that they feel silenced. It would also show that people should care about the culture.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott from playing. Them seeing that no one is playing music and just the silence is a peaceful way to show that they are done being silenced. This is a way to fight for whats right without actually fighting and using violence.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott and refuse paying. Music can only do so much, and not everyone notices. If you really want to get someone's attention you need to fully protest, but there's nothing wrong with support those who make music for the cause, either.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott, because it would grab peoples attention. People would find out whats happening, and possibly try and help.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. It may be a quiet method for telling them we disapprove of what's going on. Not playing our music would keep a feeling of us to carefully us.
ReplyDeleteThe UN mandated all artists and musicians to boycott south africa. In doing so, the south aftican culture was silenced globally, even though some artists were making songs about the boycott. Paul Simon's decision to go there and make music with native South African musicians raised more awareness and also gave a voice to South Africa.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott in order to sell a form of protest because it is a small but very effective way of protesting. I think it will help in ensuring them of our worth and I hope they will realize how important our music is.
ReplyDeleteI would defy the boycott and bring music out into the world. Music is known as a universal language and is a huge way people express themselves. You could wright songs about the boycotts and what is going on and it could easily grab peoples attention.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott aparthied and refuse to play. I would do this to show that I do not support apathied and oppose. I would also use my platform to spread the word on what was going on in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteI would try and attract more people’s attention and direct them back to the right idea that I’m teaching.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott so people would see what‘a going on
ReplyDeleteI would boycott because my silence along with my peers would express our message, that message being that were not okay with this and don’t agree with it at all
ReplyDeleteI would boycott and refuse to play to “make noise” or start trouble to get everyone’s attention and let them know that just becaause I make music doesn’t mean I won’t stand up for what I believe is right. A part of me feels like I wouldnkt want to boycott because what if I can’t make music again? But it would make me look like a coward, so I would boycott.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott and refuse to play in South Africa because Im willing to risk my music and whatever profit I would make for the cause. Boycotting by silencing my music would bring attention to whats happening and allow them see that people are not willing to play their music because of the injustices being suffered in South Africa and that I am standing for this cause by not settling for any limitations.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott so that they could realize how much that this is a problem.
ReplyDeleteI would defy the boycott and bring music out into the world to get a voice out there and show people what is happening.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott because some people don’t look beyond themselves. If I were to boycott and bring this to there attention, hopefully global support would be under way. If a small group helps, eventually more will follow suit and also help.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott playing music. This is because I would try to deliver the message that I am a person to and if they think they can just use me for my voice then go back to discriminating me than thats a problem. Finding a way to bring the realization to people that discrimination is never ok and its an issue.
ReplyDeleteI would keep playing music for myself just because that's what I love. Music plays a big part in my life.
ReplyDeleteI would continue to bring out and play new music. I think if South African music was boycotted for a long amount of time it would get lost and maybe forgotten about. I think it would also disrespect a lot of South African artists who could use their voices to speak out about the situation through music.
ReplyDeleteI think that South Africa's music was boycotted and that's how are music were somewhat created
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. It seems like a easier less chaotic way of speaking for what i think is right. And others can join as well if their opinions change. And it also can spread quickly. And I find it just a simpler way of doing things.
ReplyDeleteBoycotting South Africa would really bring more attention and eye for the speaking.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott playing music because it would be a non violent and a safe and quiet way to show that we are not okay with it, and also to not have any of our culture being taken away from us.
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DeleteMaylani Hamler
DeleteI the boycott and bring my music to the world because change will only bring about with action, show that we are upset and bring attention to us
ReplyDeleteI would defy the boycott, for mainly one reason. If a lot of artists were boycotting,then people would only listen to old music, and if I still played my music live I would get a lot more people to come. In result of that, my music, and me as an artist would be more popular. Also I could get people to listen and hopefully change the hearts of nasty people whom support the Apartheid.
ReplyDeleteI would Boycott. I would 100% penance the facilitating of my music vocation so as to battle for something I trust in. Regardless of whether boycotting is definitely not a gigantic method of retaliating, being an artist who blacklists playing could be progressively compelling.
ReplyDeleteI would defy the boycott to the world. While doing this i would make songs surrounding whats going on in Africa. I would bring awareness and attention to the wrong in the country. I would share story's on their living condition i wouldn't only be a artist i would be a voice for the people of Africa and stand and defend them. DO everything to bring justice onto them.
ReplyDeleteI would be scared but know I would have to do it.
ReplyDeleteI would have boycotted music and refuse to play in South Africa. Even though I am a musician myself if I am forced to play for segregated area's then I will take a stand so that my music can be heard by everyone. Other musicians that decide to take a stand and refused to play for segregated crowds go by the names Eartha Kit, James Brown, The Beatles, Nat King Cole, Hazel Scott, Ray Charles, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis jr., Lena Horne, and Josephine Baker. All of these musicians stood up for what they believed in and in the end everyone heard what they were saying.
ReplyDeleteI would still do the music because it helps the people smile and have fun
ReplyDeleteI would have refused to play. This is because it is nonviolent yet powerful way to get the point across. It would focus more attention on the issue at hand if many artists didn't play their music.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott. The aims of these anti-apartheid movements were to educate people about the situation in South Africa, to bring out of the shadows the cooperation of European states with the apartheid regime, and consequently to isolate the regime economically and culturally.
ReplyDeleteI would boycott South Africa because this situation there was unacceptable and I would also try to bring some attention to what was going on there
ReplyDeleteI would boycott IN SILENCE it shows a message that we are not doing good and that we are silenced and this is a way of fighting for our rights
ReplyDeleteI would try my best to boycott South Africa. I would be silent because it speaks louder. And I would risk my music for the great or good.
ReplyDeleteI would at first try to boycott south africa and try and have them get my attention but if that doesnt work then i'd boycott and bring my music out to the world, keep trying until it works
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't boycott because music is a part of culture and if you take away that from the culture then you would be taking away their freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think that music is important that I wouldn't boycott because music is a part of culture and if they take that away from the culture then it would feel sad and no music and it that happens it looks like they would be taking away their freedom
ReplyDeleteI'd choose to let my music play on, not for my benefit though, since during the time there were people who didn't even know about apartheid, and only learned through musical artists like Paul Simon. And since South Africans made up the majority, they'd be the ones suffering most from the loss of certain exchanges from other countries anyway.
ReplyDeleteI would participate in a cultural boycott because it is unfair to reward oppressors with my music for the sake of sharing it with the world. Especially at this point, video recording made music and live performance more accessible to people who could not attend. It is better to stand behind your beliefs than to support the morale of a country committing human rights violations.
ReplyDelete