Miriam Makeba was a great South African singer who was forced to live in exile during much of her life as she wasn't accepted by the apartheid regime in her home country. These days, when the world rejoices at how far the Civil Rights movement has come in the United States, it is worth remembering South Africa's amazing journey away from apartheid, too.
Miriam Makeba performed in Italy on November 9, 2008, five days after Barack Obama's great victory in the United States' presidential election. The reason why Makeba was performing in Italy was that she was giving her support to writer Roberto Saviano, whose book
Gomorrah about the Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra, has put Saviano's life in almost as much danger as Salman Rushdie's. During her performance in support of Saviano Makeba had a heart attack, and later that night she died.
Here is Miriam Makeba's most famous song,
Pata Pata .
Ann