Peter Gabriel And Musicians Remake “Biko,” And The Result Is Powerful

In collaboration with talented musicians from around the world, musician Peter Gabriel performs “Biko” again, honoring the South African activist Stephen Biko, one of the most prominent leaders in the anti-apartheid struggle. Biko died while in custody on September 12, 1977. It is said he was tortured. It is also said he was on a hunger strike and refused to eat. He had been detained in August of the same year.

“You can blow out a candle
But you can’t blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher.”

The song was already powerful and it remained in the memory of those who listened to it in the 80’s. Add now the connection and synchronicity created by musicians of the same kind while playing from wherever in the world they are, and you’ll have a Biko song that can make people cry in awe and inspiration.

Peter Gabriel first released it in 1980. Biko is a musical eulogy that became a personal landmark for the musician, sparking his involvement in human rights activism. The protest song also inspired people across continents and it is considered one of the most influential songs in regards to South Africa, where it was actually banned as it was considered a threat to national security.

40 years later, in December 2020, the remake of Biko was presented by “Playing for Change,” in social media and live streaming, celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. In February 2021, the song was presented again in celebration of Peter Gabriel’s birthday (February 13th).

Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.

The song and video was produced by Sebastian Robertson and Mark Johnson. Peter Gabriel is accompanied by Angélique Kidjo, Yo-Yo Ma, and an outstanding list of musicians from Spain, India, the USA and South Africa.

Here is the complete list of participating artists: Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Dynamic Music Collective (USA), Peter Gabriel (UK), Jason Tamba (Congo), Meshell Ndegeocello (USA), Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (USA), Sebastian Robertson (USA), Silkroad (USA), Silkroad’s Cristina Pato (Spain), Silkroad’s Yo-Yo Ma (USA), TAIKOPROJECT (USA), The Cape Town Ensemble (South Africa), Tushar Lall (India).

-Lupita Franco Peimbert @Lupitanews

A Writer is a Writer

“You see, in my view, a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.”

-Junot Diaz

If You Liked The Secret, You Will Love IMPACT

By Lupita Franco Peimbert

I was invited to watch a film called IMPACT and its description sparked my interest. I added the date and time to my calendar and a couple of reminders. When I realized the IMPACT film was going to take 1:45 minutes, first I frowned, but the minute I started watching it, I lost sense of time and space and gained insight and inspiration.

Directed and Produced by Patryk and Kasia Wezowski, the tenet of this film is the power of communicating effectively and how life-changing that can be. The IMPACT movie has been nominated for 12 international film festivals and has won 6 awards. 

Without giving you too many details and ruin your watching IMPACT, I will say the film provides inspiration and techniques for self-transformation. 

The IMPACT film and program speak of superpowers and teaches how to use them. It shows the role of empathy, unity, alignment, and action to improve opportunities to succeed in whatever dreams or goals one wants to achieve. 

They also bring something to awareness: micro-expressions and the clues they give to others; and how to read and understand those clues. IMPACT presents the stories of three people, their dreams, their fears and what seems to be stopping them to live authentically. 

While watching IMPACT I couldn’t help but think of The Secret, the 2006 film that validated many things supernatural and created a path for people, groups, and programs diving into understanding and improving the human experience. 

However, IMPACT is not strictly about manifesting. And if it is, it expands on how to increase your chances for manifesting, if you will, in that it provides specific techniques focusing on how we communicate internally and externally, and how to change certain communicating patterns that do not serve us well. 

The filmmakers say by changing how we communicate to ourselves and others, one by one, we change the world.

“What is also different about IMPACT is that we did not script any of the stories presented,” says Co-Director/Producer Kasia Wezowski. “We did not know how all this would end, and how people would really apply what they learned.”

Kasia elaborated on the experience of fear, as it is presented in this film. “Sometimes we can be very surprised when we face our fears, in that we could find a friend in that which we more feared.”

Co-director/producer Patrik Wezowski adds: “Face your fear. Explore it. Allow it. Feel the fear…and the fear will disappear. That is what happened to the cast members of this film.” 

I am impressed with IMPACT for the power it has to switch your thinking, just by watching it. What I am writing here are my initial observations, minutes after watching it. I can say, in awe, how powerful this film is, especially if something on its content and stories resonates with your life as it relates to the day and moment you are watching it; something like that message was meant for you.  

During the Q&A following the film, it was obvious to notice that Patryk and Kasia want to make a difference in the world, teach non-verbal communication techniques, and help people practice open-hearted communication. I didn’t have the time to learn much about their background but what matters most right now, is what they are able to produce: IMPACT. 

IMPACT also reminds you, that everybody has superpowers!

You may watch the film on Thursday, January 24, 2021. It is free and all you need to do is register here: https://impact.film/

If you have watched already, or knew about it, or have heard about the producers, please don’t hesitate to comment. 

Here is the trailer: