Appel à l’Afrique – Concert Public au Palais du Peuple de Conakry – Miriam Makeba, 1971

🇿🇦 🎤 ✊🏿 🌍 🎶  In 1971, Miriam Makeba, then in exile in Guinea, performed at the Palais du Peuple in Conakry and released her Appel à l’Afrique. Having fled South Africa in the early 1960s, Makeba initially found refuge in the United States under the mentorship of Harry Belafonte. However, her 1969 marriage to Black Panthers leader Stokely Carmichael ultimately led to difficulties in America. Together, they relocated to Guinea under Sékou Touré’s pan-Africanist vision. The concert’s programme drew deeply from South African traditions, featuring timeless pieces like Malaïka and the historic U Shaka, alongside Mandinka songs (Sekou Famake, Djiguinira) and even Measure The Valley, rooted in blues. The Chilean folk influence shines through the hauntingly beautiful Tutu Maramba, showcasing Makeba’s soaring vocals. The selections were inherently political, echoed by her interview on the album sleeve: « African arts and culture have been stifled by our colonisers […] I returned to Africa to regain strength through the continent’s realities. » On stage, Makeba was accompanied by the Quintette Guinéen, and the album was released under Guinea’s state-run label, Editions Syliphone Conakry.