Jessica Mbangeni performed praise poetry at the memorial for former President Nelson Mandela. Picture: Tshepo Kekana/Sunday World
Facebook video mocks Xhosa tribute to visiting Indian premier
A facebook video mocking an Eastern Cape Xhosa praise poet’s tribute to the Indian prime minister visiting South Africa has gone viral, with more than 1.7 million views by yesterday afternoon.
Singer and actress Jessica Mbangeni, 37, one of South Africa’s most sought-after praise singers, was reduced to a meme through the video posted on the All India Bakchod Facebook page.
It posted the video of her praising Indian Premier Narendra Modi at The Dome in Johannesburg – with the caption: “That awkward moment when you don’t know what to do. Who’s that one crazy friend of yours?”
The video was framed with the sub-title: “When your drunk friend is acting crazy and you just stand there wondering what the f*** am I even doing here.”
Mbangeni said yesterday it was unfortunate that a small minority did not see the value of her performance.
“The whole reason for the performance was to embrace each other as people, each other’s cultures and each other’s difference, because that is why the prime minister is here,” she said.
“I tried my hardest to make my country proud and I feel those ignorant people have undermined and degraded my people, my culture, my nation and our traditions by making those ill-informed and uneducated comments on that page.”
One user, Haider Ali Khan, wrote: “Bruhh I cant stop laughing. The Modi’s expressions LOL. He can make you laugh just by staring.”
Another user, Deepu Mirwani, chimed in and said: “I think she’s pissed she didn’t get her 15lacs.”
Not one to take things lying down, Mbangeni responded to a few comments and received praise from those who had been at The Dome and said she had given an exceptional performance.
Vidhu Ishiqa posted: “I am not a person who is very much into rights and wrongs, but I believe it’s not an appropriate gesture to mock someone’s culture.
“The lady is Jessica Mbangeni and it was a praise song for the prime minister by the South African beauty.”
An annoyed Hemang Gandabhai Desai Nayak asked the administrator to take down the offensive post, saying: “I am African and this [is] our traditional way of welcoming royalty.
“We accorded Shri Modi the highest respect with this.”
Mbangeni, nominated for a SA Traditional Music Award, said she had commented on the posts to show the trolls her “politeness and their ignorance”.
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