The Land of Song

Our kombi caravan pulled into the small town of Okahandja in the afternoon on the 22nd of February. We headed straight to the Kukuri training center, which is where we would train and stay until we were placed with host families the following week. As we were exiting and unpacking the kombis, I had my first encounter with one of the greatest treasures Namibia has to offer. Namibia may export countless diamonds and other “valuable” resources, but in my mind, its true wealth lies in its people’s soul and song.

We were welcomed into the center, the town, the country, by the Okahandja choir and our training staff. They had two lines, one on each side of the driveway, and as we came in, they sang and danced in celebration of our arrival. After several minutes, the singing ended and we went inside the dining hall to receive instructions for the remainder of the day. But following some logistical information, the choir came in to perform once again for us before we went to settle into our rooms.

I can’t even begin to describe the singing here. As I sat there on the front row of that dining hall, faced by a small local youth choir of about 10 members, I became completely absorbed in the moment. I was mesmerized by the few beautiful voices that filled the rather large room. I didn’t notice the cameras flashing all around me, I forgot that I possessed the ability to think as my mind became serene and silent for once, and the whole world outside of that room was momentarily lost to me. I didn’t notice anything that was going on beyond that powerful exchange where they bared their soul in song, and I, in an instant of grace, could witness the truth of their creation through the freedom and beauty of their expression. I didn’t understand any of the words nor the meaning of what was sung, but I did understand the language of the soul. And what they were singing to me, to our group, to anyone willing to listen…with all of their hearts, in that universal language of the soul, they were singing a song of love.

Here in Namibia, people have yet to be trained to become extremely self-critical, they haven’t really started hiding or rejecting parts of who they are, and they haven’t begun to truly hate themselves, at least not the way we in the United States have. They sing openly and freely with all of their heart and soul. And regardless of if someone is off-key, when they come together, everything is absolutely perfect. Whether it’s a choir, church community, our trainers, or a random group of Namibians, it’s as though there is an invisible force guiding and directing them. The music is never just performed or contrived; it is lived in the moment, open to the freedom and flow of creativity. People sing what they feel, and in doing so create beautifully improvised songs that can never truly be duplicated.

The way the people here sing is indicative of how they live life, or rather celebrate life. My good friend Amelia put it best when she said, “Here my heart sings.” Here in Namibia, away from the distractions, away from the material world and its desires and ideals, away from the judgments, away from the restrictions…in the freedom, in the joy of purpose, in the essence of brotherhood, sharing, helping and love…and here in Namibia, the land of song, together with countless other singing hearts, my heart has burst into song.