Back on stage, in spirit, with slain dad Taliep
Renowned musician’s son fulfils his promise with a tribute show
ON the night of December 15 2006, a 14-year-old boy shared the stage for the first — and last — time with his father, South African musical legend Taliep Petersen.
The next night Petersen was brutally killed in his home in Lansdowne, Cape Town, in a murder orchestrated by his wife, Najwa Petersen.
In the days that followed, pictures of an ashen-faced Ashur, Petersen’s only son, who is from a previous marriage, appeared in the press.
“It was surreal . . . one moment we were singing Moon River in the Luxurama Theatre and next I was looking down on his face as he lay in his kafan [Islamic burial shroud],” Ashur, now 21, recalled this week.
“I made a promise to him then that I would follow in his footsteps and carry on his legacy of music.”
Petersen was a worldrenowned musician, composer, musical director and playwright. Some of his betterknown productions, in collaboration with David Kramer, include Kat and the Kings, District Six and Ghoema.
On December 15 and 16, Ashur will take one more step towards fulfilling his promise to his father with a tribute show at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town.
The show, Like Father, Like Son, is the story of the relationship between Ashur and his father told through songs.
“Each song has a special meaning, like Moon River. The Cape Malay Choir makes an appearance as well as my mother, Madeegha, and my three sisters,” he said, speaking in his bedroom at the Kenwyn home he shares with his sisters.
“Music is what feelings sound like,” reads a quote on the door. His walls are adorned with his artworks — some of them portraits of his late father.
Ashur and his sisters, Jawaahier, 27, Aeesha, 24, and Fatiema, 20, were born to Petersen’s first marriage. He later divorced Madeegha to marry Najwa, with whom he had another daughter, Zainap.
Ashur is the only Petersen child pursuing a musical career. “My mom was a singer and she regularly performed with my dad. She was one of the lead characters in District Six,” he said.
“I was in primary school when I realised I liked singing and appearing in school concerts. I started hanging out with my dad in his studio after school.
“One day I asked him to teach me to play the guitar. He said: ‘ Ek sal jou leer speel, maar jy moenie nonsens ko’ speelie’ [I’ll teach you, but you mustn’t come and play nonsense].”
His father’s death affected him deeply and he could not cope.
He went to three different schools during high school, ending up at Wynberg Boys High, which he attended on a music bursary.
After matric, he studied jazz at the University of Cape Town before dropping out last year.
“I wanted to write music, perform and produce. I’m not academically inclined. I’ve always been into music and art,” he said.
“The entertainment industry is not an easy life. It’s hard work and long nights. But it’s where I belong.
“I also have no illusions about filling my father’s shoes. They are simply too big for me. But I can honour his memory by living the kind of life that he would be proud of.”
In the show, he said, “fans of my dad will recognise some of the songs like Rosa, Il Mondo, Queen of Hearts, Moon River and a couple of melodies from the popular productions of my dad and David Kramer”.
As for his father’s murderer, Ashur says he has forgiven Najwa, who is serving a 28-year sentence.
“I don’t believe in harbouring hatred in the heart,” he said.