Introducing from eKasi to Ibiza: Amapianos cultural role in decolonizing African representation

Uncles Waffles, image from IOL

Re-Africanization is a strategy discussed by many decolonial theorists through different expressions. Whether thinking of Steve Biko's black consciousness movement, Marcus Garvey back to Africa movement or the black power movement of the 1960s in the United States, black pride and an abandonment of white supremacy was central to multiple racial liberation movements. One of the notable theorists on this subject is Amilcar Cabral. Cabral envisioned emancipation as a process beginning with cultural reclamation and he argued that other elements of societal development are not just influenced but directly contingent on the development of a shared cultural voice.  

In today's post-colonial reality, as we envision new futures and navigate the impact of colonialism in cultural spaces, music stands as an avenue of radical self-ownership and celebration. Amapiano stands as a part of this continued story of liberation not only for South Africans but for the African diaspora at large. Amapiano is a musical genre born in the townships of the Gauteng province from bedroom studios of aspiring musical chemists, who experimented with sound, voice, dialect and culture. Kwaito, is a musical genre and cultural movement emerging in post-apartheid South Africa that blended house music with hip-hop and traditional African sounds and languages. Through kwaito, Black South Africans reclaimed joy and self-expression, creating a space for liberation that was both artistic and political.  Amapiano reflects the ongoing resilience of a rich history. Amapiano is more than just a genre, it’s a movement that embodies self-definition, collective power and the dynamic evolution of African identity. 

Although it might seem we are separated from the explicit colonial and divisive projects of colonial rule, the neocolonial context holds its own constraints. Capitalism, elitism, racism, colourism, texturism, homophobia, and fatphobia exist amongst a slew of other oppressive systems that shape lived realities. The fast pace of capitalism can have us running out of our bodies, running to reach an unprecedented standard set up from a history of extortion. Movements like #FeesMustFall and land back in South Africa represent the unfinished struggle against systemic dispossession. This is where the emancipatory power of amapiano comes in. Despite the strife, grief, systemic oppression and the collective trauma, we not only manage to find joy but create it too.  In a world that continues to police Black bodies, sounds and  spaces, Amapiano reclaims cultural agency.

Especially considering that minority groups' identities are politicized, the exclusion of "formal" and written history overlooks a significant portion of political contributions embedded in everyday culture.  Our hair, speech, clothing, music and behaviours have been political grounds of oppression whilst simultaneously serving as expressions of rebellion. The current system of knowledge we operate under privileges one way of knowing. When we think about the news, history textbooks and government, art is removed from the context. Yes, we might learn about certain leaders, like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela in our recount of history but the mass movement of people alongside them is often neglected.  

In this thesis, I seek to mitigate this gap, exploring art and existence as liberatory power exploring the intersections of decolonial theory through the case study of amapiano. Whilst the segregation of townships was created under apartheid to keep Black people oppressed, time and time again, a resilient people rose. Although there is the grief of constantly having to push against oppressive powers, art has the flexibility to carry both the weight of history and the celebration of survival, history and pride. Amapiano is a reflection of the fluidity of Africanness and celebration. As Amahle Gabane highlights in her TikTok celebrating amapiano, the title of my blog borrows from her to say “EMCIMBINI (at the party) DESPITE THE HORRORS!” 

Disclaimer: This blog/vlog is part of my senior thesis on Amapiano for my undergraduate degree at Lake Forest College. Engagement with this post in the comments is an agreement to participate in an aspect of my research.