Injustice and struggle have been prevalent throughout the world and music has been a key factor in bringing people together to fight for a cause, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the apartheid in South Africa. From these tribulations, people gave rise to songs such as We Shall Overcome and Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, to unite, to feel a sense of comfort and hope. The songs We Shall Overcome and Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika have become musical representations of triumph over the injustice within their national origins. Because of this, these songs have contributed to Peirce’s Sign Theory of icon and index, and have been repurposed to garner support against present societal challenges, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the promotion of
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Compared to the original gospel hymn, I’ll Overcome Someday, by Charles Albert Tindley, the tune has been slowed down to be sung as a march hymn to create a more melancholy and hopeful sound. With the constant repetition of the chorus and the melody, it was proved easy for people to sing and learn it at various civil rights protests, such as sit-ins, rallies and marches; people are able to recognize the tune from the repetition, which allows people to sing and hum due to the simplicity of the composition. It is also composed using the keys of the pentatonic scale, which was the key that was primarily used in composing African-American spirituals and gospel music. This supports Peirce’s idea of an icon because it has the ability to reflect an image, through resemblance, and it allows others to draw memories and various interpretations of meaning behind the …show more content…
Composer Sontonga, a devoted Christian, wrote both the lyrics and the music, originally composed as a hymn. When Sontonga passed away, African teachers and poets continued his legacy by popularizing the songs, and eventually, it was sung in schools and churches and it began to unify people. In 1912, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was sung at the development of the African National Congress (ANC) and the congress adopted it as its national anthem in 1925. This was during the apartheid struggle in South Africa and it became the symbol of anti-apartheid. In 1994, at the end of apartheid, President Nelson Mandela declared Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and the original anthem, Die Stem van Suid-Afrika to be the new national anthems of county. Nikosi Sikelel’ symbolized the newfound freedom within South Africa and Die Stem represented Mandela’s acceptance of all cultures and races, even after the fall of apartheid. As mentioned previously, the new national anthem utilizes different languages, several of them being the official languages of South Africa. Later, adapted versions of the song has served as the national anthem for various countries in southern Africa. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is an index for people because it was an anthem during the struggle against the apartheid movement due to co occurrence. Post-apartheid, the new revised national anthem became the
Compared to the original gospel hymn, I’ll Overcome Someday, by Charles Albert Tindley, the tune has been slowed down to be sung as a march hymn to create a more melancholy and hopeful sound. With the constant repetition of the chorus and the melody, it was proved easy for people to sing and learn it at various civil rights protests, such as sit-ins, rallies and marches; people are able to recognize the tune from the repetition, which allows people to sing and hum due to the simplicity of the composition. It is also composed using the keys of the pentatonic scale, which was the key that was primarily used in composing African-American spirituals and gospel music. This supports Peirce’s idea of an icon because it has the ability to reflect an image, through resemblance, and it allows others to draw memories and various interpretations of meaning behind the …show more content…
Composer Sontonga, a devoted Christian, wrote both the lyrics and the music, originally composed as a hymn. When Sontonga passed away, African teachers and poets continued his legacy by popularizing the songs, and eventually, it was sung in schools and churches and it began to unify people. In 1912, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was sung at the development of the African National Congress (ANC) and the congress adopted it as its national anthem in 1925. This was during the apartheid struggle in South Africa and it became the symbol of anti-apartheid. In 1994, at the end of apartheid, President Nelson Mandela declared Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and the original anthem, Die Stem van Suid-Afrika to be the new national anthems of county. Nikosi Sikelel’ symbolized the newfound freedom within South Africa and Die Stem represented Mandela’s acceptance of all cultures and races, even after the fall of apartheid. As mentioned previously, the new national anthem utilizes different languages, several of them being the official languages of South Africa. Later, adapted versions of the song has served as the national anthem for various countries in southern Africa. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is an index for people because it was an anthem during the struggle against the apartheid movement due to co occurrence. Post-apartheid, the new revised national anthem became the