Column: Value Redefined

The typical tourist tends to measure value by the dollar exchange rate. Whether one is buying a souvenir, planning a trip or calling a cab, the first step is usually converting the price, experience or expenditure into monetary value.

Much of my time abroad has been allotted to understanding “value.” In South Africa, I found that watching the sunset and sunrise was what made my time in Cape Town worthwhile.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my safari experience, wine tasting across Stellenbosch, dining at the gorgeous Waterfront and shark diving off Camps Bay, the richest sounds, smells and tastes were found in my least expensive visit into Zami Mdingi’s home in a South African township.

Zami welcomed me into her home with a group of other Semester at Sea students to share some of South Africa’s music and traditional cuisine.

At first glance, I would never have expected the tremendous vocals that resonated from Zami’s small figure and boy, was I in for multiple musical treats. Zami and her uncle performed several songs for us that illustrated the best of South Africa’s traditional and modern music. 

With her voice, her uncle’s guitar, a tambourine and a drum, we heard Isicathamiya music — a genre performed by blacks during apartheid — from the Isicathamiya, Kuma, Mbaqanga and pop genres, including pieces that were used during apartheid to reflect the voice of the people through the lyrics.

Zami explained music was a way to peacefully demonstrate against apartheid using the voice as a weapon of power.

As they sang everything from a song in the local click language, Xhosa, about finding love, to a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon” and an Afrikaans piece about the apartheid struggle, the talent that rose from that small township home deeply touched every audience member and was mind-boggling.

A few minutes of hearing Zami, a passionate, bubbly musician who is wise beyond her years, gave me a cultural concert that a monetary value can’t be placed on.

Over a delectable dinner of creamy vegetables, bean stew, Cajun chicken and dozens of side dishes, I asked Zami what made music so valuable to her.

“Music is the message of the people, and I know there is music in me,” Zami said. “I prove its value when I sing to a crowd because it uplifts me and keeps me forever young — how could a career be more valuable?”

I learned that value isn’t in the pricey dinners, the career that gets you “big bucks” or the tourist attractions that offer you a nice Kodak photo for an extra five-dollar bill.

Zami taught me that value is found in passion, in reaching into the lives of others and leaving an experience that is so much greater than a
price tag.

­— espitzer@indiana.edu