Imagine a future where our sacred and meaningful traditional songs are forgotten. Research shows that today’s urban young adults re increasingly disconnected from the lyrics and meanings behind the traditional songs sung at traditional ceremonies. To address this, South African Breweries’s Castle Milk Stout, affectionately known as Inkunzi Emnyama, introduces Afrikaraoke—a vibrant platform that not only celebrates our heritage but also teaches the lyrics to our sacred songs, blending the fun of karaoke with the richness of African cultural tradition.
In collaboration with a professor of African traditional songs, Dr. Evans Ntshivhambe, Afrikaraoke features carefully selected and composed songs that reflect the depth of our cultural heritage. “The insight I can give you for those songs is that they are more about connecting our people. They make us celebrate who we are.We love singing. We sing when we have problems, we sing when we celebrate, and we celebrate through singing. I believe those songs have the power to connect our people, to glue our cultures together,” says Dr. Ntshivhambe.
Afrikaraoke will culminate on 24 September, Heritage Day, with a powerful film broadcast on one of South Africa’s largest TV channels and episodes available across digital platforms. This musical journey brings together contemporary artists and the wisdom of our elders, ensuring that the melodies of our ancestors continue to resonate.
“Traditional songs play an integral part in African culture,” says Khwezi Vika, Marketing Manager at Castle Milk Stout. “whether at a wedding, coming of age ceremony or other significant occasions, our traditional songs, accompanied by ululations, are what anchors us during ceremonies. Afrikaraoke is a platform that ensures we do not lose this important element that makes us who we are, and we also doing this to ensure we preserve our cultural songs. It’s an opportunity for South Africans to immerse themselves in the songs that have defined our heritage, all while enjoying the smooth, rich taste of Castle Milk Stout.”
Over the years, Castle Milk Stout has remained a proud custodian of African heritage, and consistently invested in projects that honor, celebrate and preserve the richness of our cultural traditions.
The Last Stories of Culture initiative focused on the urgent need to preserve endangered cultural practices, educating consumers on active ways to safeguard these traditions. In the Clan Beats campaign, the brand used music to emphasize the importance of clan praises, creating a powerful compilation that intertwined the voices of South Africa’s top artists with those of praise singers.
The Ancestor’s Day campaign aimed to recognize and honor African spirituality, forging partnerships and advocating for its official recognition.
Don’t Fear Black, Savour it was another bold campaign, encouraging open conversations around the color black and its significance, both culturally and within the brand’s identity. This campaign was brough to life through Castle Milk Stout Black Conversations, a platform where audiences could engage in meaningful discussions about blackness, thereby reducing fears and misconceptions.
Lastly, the Thandiswa Mazwai SANKOFA Tour showcased the brand’s dedication to supporting South African arts, as Mazwai’s journey through African musical roots resonated with Castle Milk Stout’s mission to honour heritage while embracing progress.
Castle Milk Stout invites all South Africans to join this musical celebration. Whether you are an elder who already knows our traditional songs, or a someone from the urban areas who wants to learn, Afrikaraoke offers a stage for everyone to reconnect with the roots and rhythms of our traditional songs.
Main Image: Castle Milk Stout
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