Former Robben Island political prisoner James Mange is launching the Reggae Moonshine Africa Festival – a dream from behind bars in Robben Island.
The event dubbed A Night of Political History with James Mange will take place at Bassline on the 12 of October in Johannesburg, with a notable line up that includes Nkulee Dube, Tidal Waves and James Mange and MC’ing the event is none other than Mesh Mapetla and Adv. Sipho Mantula.
This will be the official launch of the Reggae Conference and Festival taking place in Johannesburg late 2014.
The programme and the build-up to the 2014 Festival which includes other acts from Africa, Jamaica, Reunion Island, US, and UK will be unveiled mid-year 2014.
“We are launching this festival to revive the true meaning of Reggae music,” explains James Mange.
This is a call for the revival of reggae music as an art form; a genre that transcends all ages, genders, races and classes – the umbilical cord that binds man as one. Reggae music played a pivotal role as an expression of resistance, fortitude and liberation against apartheid; it freed people’s minds and spurred the might of a collective consciousness openly across all races in our country.
James Mange went into exile in 1976 to join ANC and became commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe. He was sentenced to death for high treason after being arrested in 1978. He spent 12 months on death row. The sentence was later commuted to 20 years imprisonment on Robben Island of which he served 13 years before being released on the 27th April 1991. During his imprisonment he formed a band and taught music to the inmates on Robben Island. The band played on special occasions like New Year celebration for the political prisoners. In exile James was prominent as one of the founder members of the Nova Katenga Cultural Committee. In 1991 after being released from Robben Island James and his band the Whiplashes Played festivals like Big Bash, ANC rallies, in France and Children of Africa in Nigeria.
This is a call for the revival of reggae music in South Africa!
For more information, link up with Reggae Moonshine Africa Festival
info@reggaemoonshine.co.za www.reggaemoonshine.co.za
Puff & Pass