Open Arms has a continuing relationship with the Zwane Community Centre in Guguletu, South Africa. The focus of our work at the Centre is sponsoring food and nutrition programs for people living with HIV/AIDS in the township, but we also promote Siyaya, a singing group that uses music and dance as vehicles for AIDS education and outreach.
South African townships are overflowing with talented young people—singers, dancers, and musicians. Poverty, the lack of opportunities, and HIV/AIDS often result in all of this talent going undiscovered. Spiwo Xapile, director of the Zwane Community Centre, and Bongani Magatyana are determined to change this.
Bongani Magatyana, an accomplished musician and composer, has formed Siyaya—a performing group made up of 14 musicians who live in the townships surrounding Cape Town. In January of 2004 Bongani held auditions, and within a month the newly formed group was rehearsing daily. Very quickly, word got out about this exciting new group and offers began coming in for Siyaya to perform throughout South Africa, including an invitation to perform at Cape Town's prestigious jazz festival. Within a year, Siyaya had recorded their first CD. In May of 2005, Siyaya made their first U.S. tour.
Siyaya's music is a fusion of traditional African songs, opera, jazz, and pop. Musical director, Magatyana, arranges and composes most of the material as well as choreographs the numbers. In every concert, Siyaya does AIDS education through music.
Their music is exhilarating. They are not only entertaining—they are inspiring. This is a group you won't want to miss.