Chants of Freedom

Book excerpt: Mathews Phosa developed his love for poetry as a young boy growing up in rural Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Mostly written while in exile as the commander of an MK unit, Chants of Freedom vividly recreates the feelings of anger, defiance, frustration, shame, pain and ultimately hope that characterised the exiles’ experience of the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa. Writing in a lyrical style, Phosa addresses such themes as oppression, violence, death and hatred, and recalls the atrocities and tragedies of the migrant-labour system, the murders of innocent children, the detentions without trial, the bannings and the state-sanctioned executions that characterised the apartheid era. He recalls the influences on his life, from his grandparents to struggle leaders, and pays tribute to the role played by women and the youth in the liberation struggle. He celebrates the victory over apartheid and eulogises all those who contributed to the fight for democracy, black and white. Chants of Freedom provides raw, powerful and unprecedented insight into the consciousness of a freedom fighter, and ultimately reveals his humanity.