A Plea for Unity: Judith Sephuma and "Le Tshephile Mang"

Our random tune takes us to South Africa with Le Tshephile Mang by South African jazz singer and afro-pop artist Judith Sephuma. The song is a plea for togetherness in the midst of disharmony. While it is certainly born out of the social and political environment of South Africa, it could also count for the United States today. As I read in the news the shameful treatment of certain sectors of American society, the shameful treatment of American Muslims at the Texas capitol only the latest example, I wonder when the people of the United States will realize that we are strongest when unified and together; therefore, we should reject the example set by our politicians. But in our political climate today, this simple and commonsense image seems to be be lost in recriminations and accusations and the lazy and easy willingness to point fingers and target rather than striving toward the harder but more constructive work of reaching out to those we don't usually engage or understand. Naivete? Maybe. Hope? Certainly.

Sephuma was born and raised in Polokwane, South Africa and moved to Cape Town in 1994 to study jazz singing. She won Best Jazz Vocalist in a major South African competition, which led to her signing with the African division of BMG. Le Tshephile Mang can be found on her 2001 album A Cry, A Smile, A Dance and on the Putumayo compilation album Women of Africa (2004).