Grannies help set marimba record

A GROUP gogos (grandmothers) from Khayelitsha and Langa joined some 241 women and girls aged 8 to 23 years as South Africa smashed the Guinness World Record for the largest marimba ensemble. The previous world record was 108 participants and was held by the Australians.

The event on Women’s Day was organised by Marimba Jam in association with Imbewu Marimba Community.

Marimba Jam founder Kiara Ramklass, 24, was named as one of the 100 Young Mandelas. She is also a recipient of the Amy Biehl Foundation 2012 Youth Spirit Award.

Ramklass said: “Marimba Jam’s outreach programme offers musical education across Cape Town to address inequalities within the education system regarding musical education in underprivileged areas. The world record bid served to promote the importance of learning music at school.”

The gogos were organised via various connections, but mainly through Khayelitsha-based NPO Grandmothers Against Poverty and Aids.

“As a result of including this group of women in our activities and offering these dignified grandmothers an opportunity to jam on the marimbas during the day’s proceedings, we are giving them an opportunity to share anecdotes from their lives with our team and all present,” Ramklass said.

As a fitting tribute to South African women, the life stories of feisty Khayelitsha grannies now have a permanent place on southafrica.co.za, a living digital archive and free-to-view online platform that showcases South Africa’s collective heritage.

Hans Gerrizen, founder and chief executive of southafrica.co.za, said: “The grandmothers and mothers are the backbone of the nation and this is our way of honouring grandmothers, who are all too often the sole breadwinners.”

Images of South African women can be viewed at www.southafrica.co.za. Southafrica.co.za can be contacted at contact@southafrica.co.za or at (021) 481 2880. – Staff Reporter