There’s something joyous ringing in the air: the sound of 2 400 children from 169 schools all over the country marching through the streets in brass bands, accompanied by dancers, steel drums, African drums and marimbas.
It’s a sound that has become a movement, building on the township tradition of brass bands. This is the work of the Field Bands Foundation (FBF), set up five years ago to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged young people and their communities through music and movement.
FBF sees its work as a way to occupy and empower youngsters, as well as to educate. ‘Essentially, it’s a development organisation, working solely among disadvantaged youth in areas where communities face extreme challenges,†says national director Retha Cilliers.
What it has done is brought hope to thousands of children – like Sakhiwo Lupha (16) who gave his all on his tuba at the launch last month of the Active Community Clubs Project in Mdantsane, East London.
Lupha and his friends Sakile Simani (14) and Thando Mntuyedwa (16) were recruited on the streets of the sprawling township two years ago. They had little to do after school then. Now you’ll find them in practice sessions three times a week and performing once or twice a week. All three plan to play in jazz bands lone day.
The initiative also brought hope to instructors, like Luvuyo Bethani (29). Bethani lost an eye in a childhood accident, and apart from his music (he played brass instruments in the Salvation Army band and in a church group) he had no idea how he would earn a living.
While searching for a piece job, he was put in touch with FBF. ‘Crime and drugs are big problems, especially when the youth are bored. Now, when we collect the 120 band members, they feel that we are a family, that we are sharing something together, and they don’t go to crime,†says Bethani.
Important values are also drummed into the youngsters: cooperating with and serving others, self-worth, punctuality and responsibility. The sense of accomplishment that comes with a job well done and the thrill of belonging to a group also add immeasurable benefits.
The FBF works closely with HIV/Aids organisations, as well as with organisations like Child Welfare and Drugwise. ‘In many parts of the townships there is no structure to support abused children or children with drug problems and the stresses of living in poverty. We offer them somebody to talk to and a support system,†Cilliers says.
One example: after a band member’s mother was burned to death in her shack, FBF traced his father with the help of Child Welfare. ‘This prevented the child from being left totally destitute. He is still a member of the local field band and attends every rehearsal. It is the centre of his life.â€
The foundation employs as many people as possible from the communities themselves – teachers like Pethani, drivers, caterers and costume makers. Apart from fostering a sense of ownership, this has created jobs for 37 musicians and dancers.
Regional director, Thoko Mlonyeni, says FBF can barely keep up with demand. ‘We are getting calls from Umtata, Gonubie, other parts of Mdantsane, just for some examples.â€
FBF aims, in the long run, to pass on responsibility for bands to community structures, freeing it to develop new bands – there are still 3 000 children waiting their turn to start playing.
Siv Stundal and May Helen Nygard, Norwegian music teachers on a 10-month exchange programme with FBF, are spending their last two months in Mdantsane.
The Norwegian Foreign Department and Band Federation/Fredkorpset have close ties with FBF. ‘We see so many talented children here, and some will be able to make professional careers out of music,†Stundal says.
‘The style of playing and learning is different to ours. That is something to be proud of,†Nygard adds. ‘Our job has partly been to teach the children to read music. Most of them play by ear.”
Mdantsane instructors are veteran jazz musicians Tally Goduka and Sonwabo Boyana. Like most black musicians who lived through the apartheid era, they are self-taught. Both point out the importance of children learning to read music so they have the technical competence to play anywhere.
And play anywhere they will: 23 youngsters went off to Norway in May to play for President Thabo Mbeki on an official visit. They went on to march in the capital, Oslo, in the National Day parade.