South African celebrities have been paying tribute to the late Miriam Makeba popularly known as Mama Africa.
The star died on 9th November, 2008 and yesterday was her 12th year anniversary of being dead.
Miriam died of a heart attack after a concert in Italy.
However, not everyone knows much about the legend .
Below are 8 things you should know about the late Mama Africa:
- Zenzile Miriam Makeba was born on the 4th of March 1932 nicknamed Mama Africa, is a South African singer, songwriter, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil rights activist.
- Her Swazi mother, Christina Makeba, was a sangoma, traditional healer, and a domestic worker while her Xhosa father, Caswell Makeba, was a teacher who he died when she was six years old.
- Makeba began her professional musical career with the Cuban Brothers, a South African all-male close harmony group, with whom she sang covers of popular American songs.
- She was married to fellow musical icon, Hugh Masekela.
- Mama Africa was the first black musician to face exile over apartheid.
- She was also one of the first black women to address the United Nations.
- Makeba married American “black power” activist Stokely Carmichael in 1968 and they moved to the West African country of Guinea, but later split. She was divorced four times.
