Punk in Africa

Punk in Africa bears an accurate, if slightly misleading title, since co-directors Keith Jones and Deon Maas concentrate on South Africa rather than the continent as a whole. To Benjy Mudie, A&R representative for WEA Records, 1976's Soweto Uprising provided fertile ground for punk as years of oppression and required military service had taken its toll on young people, black and white. Steve Moni of the Safari Suits also suggests that simple boredom played a role: with nothing better to do, punk turned out to be a great way to fill the time and to blow off steam. Nonetheless, most of the acts shown here are white, possibly because segregation remained in effect until 1994 (there are also few female players). The band National Wake featured mixed membership, however, although they would move in a reggae direction in years to come. KOOS, a group consisting of Afrikaans members, also stands out for their avant garde approach to composition and performance (KOOS actually comes across as more post-punk than punk for the way they integrated jazz and theater into their act). The directors chart the punk movement through the 1980s as apartheid comes to an end, Nelson Mandela leaves prison, and punk itself gives way to ska. The anger and energy fueling the early material mellows into the more party-oriented music of 1990s acts like Hog Hoggidy Hog and Sibling Rivalry. Outside of South Africa, the filmmakers also cover Pretoria's Sticky Antlers, Mozambique's 340ml, and Zimbabwe's Evicted. An off-the-beaten-path punk documentary, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)