Searching for Sugar Man

Each one of us is Man, and represents the hopes and possibilities of the species. Redemption is a personal task... Life only justifies and transcends itself when it is realized in death, and death is also a transcendence in that it is a new life.

Octavio Paz (The Labyrinth of Solitude 56)

The most legendary of all stories and tales in life and those which are almost magnetic to the human spirit always fall along the similar lines of a tale of a fall and redemption. As we see the character fall into the darkness and then rise up to the light again, we can all relate to this process of the human soul.

A particular example of this, now an Academy Award winning documentary called Searching for Sugar Man depicts the story of a promising folk artist in the United States who only found success in South Africa though completely unbeknownst to him for he never received royalties. There he was bigger than The Beatles, and Rollingstones, but working in Detroit as a humble demolition worker. In the end of the twentieth century South African fans searched his story out among assumptions that he was dead and found he was actually alive, and living in Detroit. He then returned to perform in South Africa before thousands of fans in sell-out concerts. While upon returning home he still continued to live in the same house and return to his same work.

When redemption is real it's focused on character and never on wealth. The redeeming nature of Sugar Man is that first when fans thought he was dead, they came searching for the truth of this heroic character in South Africa because his music transcended his legacy. Sugar Man then experienced this new life and a personal redemption when his music became known to the world at large.

Sugar Man didn't realize that he was redeeming himself through those years of back-breaking labor. His humble character transcends his music success today as he gives his earned money to friends and family. His humble character made true redemption possible.

Redemption happens for all when the majority of the time we do not realize it is happening. Like Sugar Man, it is slow but possible, the closer one comes to death, and realizing the hopes not lived and that life can be redeemed, we like Sugar Man can also redeem the inner man first.

Handel's Glorious Language of Song

"It is evident that music has to be recognized as an element of socialization. As an agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest social values, such as solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion and it has the ability to unite and entire community and express sublime feelings." 

(Documentary Tocar y Luchar)

These lines of text from the documentary Tocar y Luchar are just a taste of the depth of analysis one could write on the sublime significance of music in each human life. Being a classically trained pianist I was not only thrilled by the potential of these musical programs in this film but I immediately thought of the many artists in history who have labored in music’s name, and whose works have lifed on for several centuries as a living testament to its’ greatness. One such example is the genius of Handel’s Messiah.

(Trailer from the documentary Tocar y Luchar)

The creation of this oratorio was composed after a stroke which left him with partial paralysis and then unpopularity among audiences with his most recent work. These setbacks led him to assume that he was nearing the end of his career. However, a friend lent him a manuscript containing many scriptural citations that leapt into his depressed soul filling it with renewed life and purpose. Handel composed the Messiah in just three weeks.

This oratorio is one of the most well-known musical works ever composed and its’ creation consisted of solidarity within Handel’s own personal suffering and then to absolute composing, harmony with himself and God, compassion towards the listeners (where he donated all proceedings to the incarcerated and poor) overcoming his desires for wealth and popularity, and to this day, over three hundred years later, he has united countries, continents, and communities with the majesty of this piece of music.

(Excerpt from Handel's Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus)

There are hardly any Christmas’s remembered without one hearing an excerpt from this work, where community productions have been produced with orchestras and choirs and even the audience at times in participation, creating the highest sense of unity within a community.

Music speaks to the souls of the audience what words cannot, a language which elevates each individual to pursue the highest potential in one’s life; to live with compassion and in harmony with your fellow man and uniting in the this unspoken language of music. 

Born of Suffering

"You are Moacir, the child born of my suffering."

Jose de Alencar (Iracema 101)

The amount of symbolism and possible analysis from this small phrase can be related to several of the greatest or the smallest of events or ideas that have occurred in the history of the world. One in particular that interestingly applies to this ending theme Alencar writes in this novel is of the results of suffering, which can be applied to the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

In Buddhism a frequent and central question is: “Why does suffering and pain exist?”

Hence the Four Noble Truths were created explaining that (1) suffering is in all existence, (2) this suffering is usually caused by desire and attachment, (3) if the desire and attachment is eliminated, so is the suffering, and (4) the Noble Eight-fold Path can eliminate these desires.

Primarily Iracema was desired by her Tabajaran village, though Iracema knew little of suffering until she met Martim. She grew to desire Martim, who also desired her and felt and an attachment towards her, which ultimately became her downfall.

In that desire for attachment Iracema became pregnant with his child, which started the majority the suffering we read about in this novel. We see here that because that desire was never eliminated, in her suffering stage Iracema bore this child, and with this new attachment her suffering only increased, especially with the absence of Martim and never left her until her tragic death.

So why does suffering and pain exist? What comes from this suffering? Alencar writes that the baby of Martim and Iracema brought suffering which is also Brazil, who also that came from this suffering. In the teachings of Buddhism and in this novel something beautiful, complex, and great can come from suffering. Suffering is truly essential in the forming of a nation and a character. As we can more clearly understand and see that all beauty does not have a beautiful beginning. 

The Weeping Among the Roars

Juan Manuel Blanes, Paraguay: Image of Your Desolate Country, c.1880

After brief but somewhat in depth discussions, studies, and readings of Latin American culture as influenced by the conquest of the Spaniards and Portuguese, it is hardly difficult to see and understand that these events that began over 500 years ago have yet to be forgotten, while still leaving these countries in a process of recovery and making progress. 

This work of art, painted of a battle in the 1860's is a rather striking example of the desolation that has come upon the natives in Latin America from foreign sovereignty. Which first began in the name of God and religion, to gold and power has continued in an almost ever going bloodbath. 

We see hundreds of years in the past, we see fear, and oppression though this similar melody has been sung in the several other areas of the world with one in particular, South Africa with the Apartheid.

After hearing this particular song about this oppression among the blacks in South Africa, the parallel was made towards our studies in class, and even to this painting. What the blacks felt in Africa, and the Jews and Muslims during the inquisition, can be compared to the never ending ironic 'fight' for change, and peace, and that this Paraguayan women can represent, right now, all groups ever under oppression.

This song that Josh Groban sings, explains that even though this particular group of people have gone through these horrors of oppression, that this

“nightmare would never ever rise again, But the fear and the fire and the guns [still] remain.”

Here this women, alone, remains with this gun, with fear and sorrow, with the death of her people, and yet, as a re-occurring line in this songs says:

“It wasn't roaring, it was weeping.”

She is weeping, and the countries of South Africa, Paraguay, and others who have lived under the oppression of another at times still weep. The same roars of war aren’t there but this subtle weeping still influences these areas. Scares are still deeply deeply cut. They are healing yes, but weeping remains for any who have fought and lived under war and oppression.