Flamingo - Art, Craft & Culture - Tales of enchantment
"An artist must at all times recognise the fine line between his own world and the reflection of others," says Tsatagos, who urges Namibian artists to acknowledge their origins when making music. She is known to be fluent in the language of the gods and has a grand understanding of the ways of the creator. In conversation with the singer, the author discovers sacred messages between man and his creator, the command of ancestors and the voices that chant in Tsatagos’s song.
Singer Tsatagos is a passionate lover of the arts. The single mother of two is multi-talented and is also a composer (of her own songs and for other artists), director, theatre practitioner, choreographer and a drama tutor. Although she is active in all areas of performing arts, she counts music as her utmost passion.
She speaks of music in a romantic sense and glows when describing her initial tryst with performing on a stage. "I'm married to the stage. My love affair with music began when I was about five or six years old. I remember staying up late and listening to music coming from the late-night disco… then I would imitate the songs the following morning for my family or for visitors. I just loved performing and being the centre of attraction."
Tsatagos's career was born when as a teenager she first joined the A. Shipena High School Choir and eventually the National Youth Choir. She travelled all over Namibia with the choirs but shifted priorities with the birth of her first-born daughter and became a full-time mother. "I became pregnant in my Grade 11 year and left school soon afterwards. Raising my daughter wasn't easy, but I was committed to giving her a stable upbringing so my immediate dream of becoming a singer took a back seat." Two years later a son was born and completed the family of three. She did domestic work to support her children while bettering her grades after hours through Namcol.
Her lifelong dream of becoming a singer beckoned once more and she soon started experimenting with composing original pieces that led her ‘into the corridors of the ancients’. These musical journeys deepened her ties with her ancestors as she recognised the need to voice the true nature of the Khoisan people through her music. She describes her music as a unique blend of /Gais (healing songs of the eastern Damara), the Besu (guitar-oriented -traditional Damara music) and various flavours of jazz, from contemporary to Bossa Nova. Her music brand falls under the Afro-fusion category and is reflective of ‘authentic Namibia’.
Of /Gais, which is her signature sound, she speaks as though in trance at a gathering of the gods. It is as a session involving the clapping of hands, howling of voices and chanting (the practice of arousing ancestors for guidance, healing, command, praise and even solace). "It’s more than just music actually; it's a dialogue between the living and the dead, the past and the present, between man and his creator. Using this medium, ancestors send messages, requests and warnings. And for those who are the messengers of these conversations, it is a calling."
As one of few live female music artists, Tsatagos enjoys free range over the making of her music. She points out both struggles and rewards that are part of the experience of doing live music, but is quick to add that the rewards more than outweigh the struggles. She tells of how difficult women are having it in the industry and that one should have zeal for what one is doing to beat the odds. "The challenges are trying and it also happens to be a costly affair, but at the same time rewarding, because you're entirely in charge of making your music."
The local media has already compared her to the likes of Kadja Nin, Salif Keita and even the late Ma Makeba, and although she revels in the compliments she still regards herself a daughter of the Namibian soil. She believes the media regard her as Namibia's answer to Afro-fusion. "This genre of music gives Africans an opportunity to perform on the world stage without compromising themselves and allows them to explore western music without losing any part of who they are… and on the Namibian front I happen to be enjoying that merger between Namibia and the west." Her advice to fellow artists is to be proud of who you are but remain humble to your origins. Knowing who you are is helpful in presenting yourself to the next person.
Ordinary people overcoming adversity inspire this extraordinary lady, who has both feet grounded in her humble beginnings and her eyes set on a bright future. Her future plans include releasing a debut album and taking Namibian music to never-been-seen heights. She is currently soliciting funds for the making of the album and envisages a release by late 2009.
Tsatagos has endured a troubled but growth-inspiring journey and is encouraging her fellow Namibians to "…never stop dreaming and to persevere, as there is much benefit in committing yourself to your goals." She takes the opportunity to urge authenticity in Namibian music, but in the same breath applauds those who make an effort to make being a Namibian a cause to celebrate.
It’s clear that from just talking to ‘the oasis’ as she proudly refers to herself, one can only walk away with a well of pride and knowledge of where we began and where we are going as a nation. And whether you are planning a trip to revisit the distant past or take a glimpse of the brighter future, Tsatagos's music will guide if not inspire you on your journey.
