African Children’s Concert: A Stirring Experience

By Em Fergusson

The African Children’s Choir recently performed at the Robert Ferst Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The performance is part of the choir’s exciting fall tour titled, “Journey of Hope.” The children began touring October 12, 2007 and will continue to tour throughout the spring. Recently seen on various television shows including, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, American Idol and Good Morning America, the African Children’s Choir stirred the hearts of all who attended the concert.

Performances included stories of strength and survival, tales of hope and various ballads that celebrate the people, culture and joy of Africa. Comprised of children from Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, the Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and South Africa, the African Children’s Choir and its parent organization Music for Life, help support almost 8,000 underprivileged children. From the “Lost Boys” of the Sudan to supporting centers for AIDS orphans in South Africa, the members of the African Children’s Choir are making a positive impact for their communities.

The program opened with an Acholi Dance from the Acholi Tribe, followed by colorful, bright and contemplative dances and acts reflecting the Baganda tribe. The acts included the ‘Fishing Song,’ ‘Hunting Song,’ and ‘Harvest Song.’ All songs share powerful stories of survival and determination. In the ‘Fishing Song,’ according to program notes provided during the concert, the story involves, “a group of fishermen on Lake Victoria have a close encounter with a crocodile as they pull in their daily catch…the leader assures them that all is well and they sail ashore to safety.”

The choir continued to dance, sing and act out stories of courage and love. Before intermission, the “dance tutorial” included the Kiganda, Rwandan, Bandi Minya Soya Maci-Lingala, Ding Dong and Ujesu Tiathoma dances from South Africa, the Congo and Rwanda. Once again, each song is a story of strength and compassion. For the past 23 years, the African Children’s Choir has performed around the world, in attempts to raise awareness of the plight of the orphaned and abandoned. As the choir members performed, their stories and that of so many other children was showcased on a large, circular screen above the stage. Images included African children in various countries, members of the choir on tour, scenes of Africa’s rich landscape and much more. With each image, the songs and dance completed the stories that were shared.