A South African Hit
On the cusp of the worldwide shutdown triggered the coronavirus pandemic, an Angolan dance troupe took the world by storm in February of 2020. Balancing plates, pots, and various utensils, Fenomenos de Semba grooved to a South African song, “Jerusalema”, sung by Nocembo and produced by Master KG. While the original music video was posted in December 2019, the song did not gain in popularity until Fenomenos de Semba uploaded their dance cover. The “Jerusalema” dance challenge soon spread to other parts of the world as nuns, police officers, school teachers, firefighters, nurses, and many others took part and posted videos on social media. “Jerusalema” topped the charts in Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, along with a number of other countries. It also topped the U.S. World Digital Song Sales Chart. As the music industry has historically been dominated by tracks from the West, the global rise and popularity of a Limpopo-style tune sung in Zulu by a local South African artist is no doubt a wonder and a marvelous product of the age of globalization. The success of “Jerusalema” in the Western world is due in large part to its religious undertones that those in Judeo-Christian value-dominated societies could relate to and these spiritual desires were only intensified during the pandemic when people were drawn to the hope that arises from such faith.
In South Africa, “Jerusalema” likely struck a historical chord with the population when it came to religion. Currently, over 60% of the country’s population identifies as Christian, meaning that belief in the Gospel is shared among people from a plethora of backgrounds. The importance of Christianity to each group, however, differs due to their past experiences, especially during the mid-to-late 1900s. Notably, the Afrikaner community is heavily influenced by the Dutch Reformed Church, which came to the continent in the mid 1600s and was formerly an extremely dominant force in politics during the apartheid era as a champion of the pro-apartheid National Party. The Black population, consisting of numerous tribes, also sought refuge in the teachings of the Bible but found justifications for Black liberation rather than oppression. While the overwhelming majority of the Afrikaner population today is most definitely opposed to apartheid and supports the ideal of equality, the scars of the past still linger and most churches are still broken down along racial lines. Therefore, we see that though Christianity has somewhat transcended the socio-economic and racial divisions that have torn South Africa apart, it also magnifies the inequalities and differences between racial and ethnic groups. The immense popularity of “Jerusalema” across the board exhibited that the song acted as a rare unifier in South Africa. Since the lyrics of “Jerusalema” are spiritual in nature, the song represents the potential role Christianity could play to bring these thriving sub-cultures of the Afrikaaners, Zulus, Xhosas etc. together.
Moreover, the role Afro-dance played in the success of “Jerusalema” is a testament to recent South African history. Since, South Africa transitioned to a multiracial democracy in 1994 after years of being subjugated to the apartheid-regime for nearly 45 years, the atrocities and implications of apartheid are still very much alive in modern South African society where many still recall the sheer brutality of the government and the police. When the Angolan dance video went viral, the Afro-dance choreography was reminiscent of historical Afro-dances used to protest injustices. During apartheid, dances such as the tiyo-tiyo were used at protests and celebrations as a non-violent form of resistance to subtly reject the strangle the government attempted to assert over the minds of the population. Essentially, the ability to freely dance showcased that they could find moments of joy even in the most trying of times. The onset of the pandemic brought about immense pain in the country and once again, the Afro-dance choreography to “Jerusalema” was a way for South Africans to collectively alleviate their stress and suffering, though this time around in a completely different context.
Although Zulu is only spoken by around 12 million people, the religious connotation of “Jerusalema” permitted it to transcend national barriers. In the West, where many countries are founded on Judeo-Christian values and in which Christianity retains a strong presence, the mere mention of “Jerusalem” prompts religious thoughts as Jerusalem is viewed as the holy city in Christianity. Regardless of whether the listener comprehends Zulu, due to the societal and cultural norms of the West, they will almost certainly relate the city of Jerusalem with God and faith. This natural connection allows large swaths of the Western population– both religious and nonreligious– to easily identify with “Jerusalema.” Yet, the uniting power of Christianity channeled by the song is easily lost among populations that have not lived through apartheid and the vast divisions that a single religion could ignite within a country. “Jerusalema” was viewed instead as more of a vehicle to transport spiritual ideals.
The religious connection that “Jerusalema” forged with much of the West was aided by the pandemic. While in most Western countries the majority of the population would consider themselves either Christian or Catholic, church-attendance and religious identification has been on the decline in recent years. However, research has shown that it is during times of great despair and chaos that people turn most to religion and decide to pray in hopes of reaching an almighty God. They actively seek out the comfort that comes from knowing that there is a higher power guarding them, watching over and in control of the maddening situation. With the tremendous grief, mourning, and uncertainty that were brought about by the coronavirus came a desperate yearning for the existence of God. In “Jerusalema,” the singer pines for a homecoming, as she knows that this–wherever she is now and whatever situations she is currently in– is not her final destination; Nocembo pleads to be brought “home” to Jerusalem. Those words perfectly reflect the foundational beliefs of Christianity, that for all who believe that Jesus is Lord, this Earth and this despondent and hopeless reality is not our final resting place, but our eternal home is in Heaven. In the midst of immense sorrow, the reminder that we are not to remain trapped in the unending cycle of disease and death was only all too powerful and uplifting. The optimism of “Jerusalema” was incredibly contagious in the Judeo-Christian-dominated West where people who mostly know of Christian beliefs took solace in its hopeful and spiritual message and held onto their hope that there was to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Additionally, Afro-dance challenges that propelled “Jerusalema” to international stardom allowed people to come together and participate in a joyful activity, a rarity during the era of Covid-19. One of the most soul-crushing implications of the pandemic was the social and physical isolation that followed. Most remained at home, trapped in their apartments or houses and glued to computer screens for work and entertainment. Participating in the “Jerusalema” dance challenge brought people together and helped quell feelings of loneliness. While these dance videos garnered over 100 million views on Tik Tok, the historical context of Afro-dance was missed. Perhaps people in the West were able to recognize the implied effects of relieving stress and anxiety through dance, the tradition passed down by generations in sub-Saharan Africa to come together to dance to protest injustice dissipated in the midst of the storm.
Despite the song’s remarkable performance in the west, “Jerusalema” failed to ignite the same fervor in Asian countries. The reason for this lies in the fact that hardly any Asian countries are rooted in Judeo-Christian values and the percentage of Christians in Asian countries remains slim compared to that of Western nations. Consequently, the city of Jerusalem does not kindle the religious sentiments in Asia that it does in the West. Without a common theme with which people can associate, it is difficult to impart deep and profound values in a tongue considered to be exotic by many in the region. There was an inability for Asian populations to connect to the religiosity and spirituality of “Jerusalema” that galvanized its acclaim in the West.
Ultimately, “Jerusalema” proved that while religion has and is still often used as a tactic of division, it retains the ability to bring people of vastly contrasting backgrounds together. What’s more, the humble origins of the song demonstrate that Africa has much to offer. Africa, with 54 countries and each with countless tribes, is extremely diverse in and of itself, but the continent has been largely neglected on the global scene. Globalization typically refers to Asian, European, and North American representation while Africa remains on the fringe. “Jersualema” emphasized what the rest of the world can learn from Africa as well as the pressing need for Africa to become a dominant force on the global stage. “Jerusalema” overstepped historical divisions to unite people of all socio-economic and racial backgrounds, highlighting the goal of globalization to see that we are all part of the human race.
