Today’s Vegetarian Elite will be presented in Zulu and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Nepali, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Zulu and Thai.

Hey I entered Johannesburg
Where the walls roar Then they greeted me
They said, “Halo, halo”

We are in Johannesburg, South Africa with Tu Nokwe, a very famous performing artist here.

Raised in one of South Africa’s most recognized musical families, it seems fame was written in Tu Nokwe’s destiny. Her father, Alfred, was a renowned jazz and swing musician in the 1950s and 60s, whose name resonates with famous figures like South African President Nelson Mandela. Her mother, Patty, who rose from servant status to become one of the country’s most celebrated mazzo sopranos, has had her life documented in a number of plays and books. Along with her gifted siblings, Tu’s family is affectionately regarded as the Jackson 5s of Africa.

I think I was about 5 years old when I used to hear my mom sing all the time. She was trained as an opera singer and I grew up wanting liking to sing. But it happened that my gift was acting so I was off tune all the time, until my mom agreed to teach me how to sing. We formed a group at home called Black Angels. We performed, every month we’re performing somewhere. So then that’s it, that’s been my life.

Since then, Tu has released several solo albums to much critical acclaim at home and abroad. Her newest album, “African Child,” recorded under her own music label, was awarded “Best Release from Africa” by British world music magazine “Liner Notes.”

She has toured continents like the Americas, Europe, and Africa; performed for corporate, government, and commercial audiences; and has been commissioned to compose, produce, and perform government theme songs, commercial tunes, and children songs for television and radio. Through the rising fame, Ms. Tu Nokwe never forgets to credit the beauty of her Zulu culture.

They say I must go back And ask from the ancestors
They say I must go back And ask from the ancestors

Do you think Africa has a special message of music for the rest of the world?

The special message I can say I see and I feel, it’s a message of sharing. It’s a message of giving without expecting. I know we use music now to make money, but really, really, really it’s just for all artists to jump on stage and share, express your true freedom and share. That’s why when we perform, somehow it’s like something is tickling us. It’s not like a job, it’s something. Something is making you feel good and you want the other person to feel.

So for us it’s like that, it’s a question of the give and take, and I rely on you when you’re sitting out there. When I give you, I want you to take. It gives someone a chance to listen, and it also gives me a chance to open up and express. Last night at the Windybrow Theatre, somebody came and did this on my shoulder, and said “You have done a good job. Look now, the young people are proud to sing African music.”

I mean, he was singing in Zulu all the way. Live performance is actually, that’s where my strength is. I think because of the acting element in me, that helps the music also. That helps when the lyrics is saying a story, I feel like I have shared something. And in a way, I believe since I promised God when I was young I am doing his job. I always feel like God is my CEO, and I have to deliver. So live performance does that for me, because I can do 10 songs, but I know each person would go home with their favorite song and their favorite message.

Wouldn’t you like to be what they all stood for?
Didn’t you like the things they stood for?
Didn’t they try to do some good for you,
some good for me, so we’ll be free.
We’ll find ourselves. So we’ll know ourselves.
So we’ll find ourselves.

Though music has been woven into her life since childhood, Tu considers her first talent as acting. She has garnered roles such as Shaka Zulu’s wife Phatha in the movie “Shaka Zulu,” and has been featured in six theatre productions like “Sheila’s Day” in the US, and “Singing of the Times,” a biographical play that she wrote of her mother’s life. Her plans will lead her to the United States this 2010 year for a reprise of popular theatre work.

I check my mail, a producer in New York, New Jersey, in New Jersey, he has written to me. He wants me to join them in July. I am like, “Wow.” [He wrote,]“Tu, please, can you come to the States and do the show ‘Sheila’s Day’?” I did it 25 years ago, Sheila’s Day. It’s about maids – American maids and South African maids, there are so many similarities there. So we did the show with Letta Mbulu and others, Thuli Dumakude. So I took the job. I had other bookings, but I just thought, “I need the energy of New York, of the US, something there about the arts.”

And something they say about Los Angeles, that it is the City of the Angels. In the way, I want to believe, because the good things, they happen big. So I feel there is something very special about that place, because when I came back in ’92, when I have been there, I came back so fired-up. And I so believe that I have been born now the second part of my life when I begin year one of this golden age.

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mama
what will I be Will I be pretty, will I be rich?
Here’s what my mama said
Que sera sera
Whatever will be will be
The future is not ours to see
Que sera Que sera

When we return after this message, Tu Nokwe will share how faith, vegetarianism, and meditation have helped to empower her and provide peace. You are watching Vegetarian Elite on Supreme Master Television.

I wanted to sing beautifully like my mother. In my temple, during the time of strong will, fasting and everything vegetarian, sweets and all, I asked God and I promised God that, “If You can help me…” and I think that was His doing that Bheki came into my life actually. I said if I can be able to sing I can use my voice to heal.

Hi, I’m Tu Nokwe.
Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet.

Welcome back to Vegetarian Elite on Supreme Master Television and our 2-part feature on “Tu Nokwe: Golden Soul and Songstress of South Africa.”

Oh Jamuludi My favorite cow
I don’t know what to do
I don’t know how to save you

Tu shares with us the reason she decided to become vegetarian at such an early age.

When I chose it, it was a time that I was a child. I wanted to have a strong will. I needed to something to help me to be okay, to be grounded. And I read in a book of Paramahansa Yogananda that if you have a strong will, you can do anything in life. And I thought, “Wow, I don’t have to fight. I don’t have to leave the country. I don’t have to pick up a gun and go and fight this thing. So if I can tighten up my back bone and have a strong will, I can be fine.”

But he said, “You must work at it. You must pray for it. You must have discipline.” And I thought, “Ah…” And then there was a suggestion to fast so you can be focused, and ask for something and expect it and wait for it. And then I was praying for that, “Please God, help me. Give me strong will.” So I gave up sweets because I loved sweets. And I did that and I got used to it, it was easy.

And I thought, “What else can I give up?” And I just thought, “Meat.” I was 15 and I stopped eating meat. And my family is a meat-eating family. I thought, “How am I going to do this? I don’t like to cook so I have to learn to cook now.” And I built a temple outside the yard where I was praying all the time. I would hide and light the candle and keep quiet and breathe.

And my mom started helping me, supporting me. She said, “Are you sure you want to do this thing?” I said “Yeah, yeah, I’m praying for something, Ma.” And I just know that my life is like this today, it’s because I made that choice.

To be vegetarian?

Yes. And I actually can even be better. I can even be more powerful if I can meditate more.

Tell me about the power of meditation in your life.

We can be more calmer, you know what I mean? We can deal with each other nicely, we can appreciate each other, we can see more in each other because we’re beautiful. They say we are like God, we’re made in His image, so we must be beautiful. We’re not seeing that in each other.

And I think if we can maybe meditate, you know, meditate. Oh you can do it any time, take 10 minutes now. In the car, sometimes I park it, and I just take that moment. Even if it’s just breathing and imagine what God might look like, and just listen to what He’s given to you. And appreciate and acknowledge that I’m blessed. Most of the times we think about the bank, my bank account, and what’s going to happen if I can’t pay my rent, what’s going to… Can we also make time to think about the stuff we need to appreciate, real stuff; it’s priceless.

We have some young viewers that watch Supreme Master TV. What words of inspiration would you give to them?

Just listen, and also pray like when we are children. When there’s a chance for you to listen, to watch, to go onto Supreme Master Television and other stations that promote positive messages, got to take that time and just listen and pray for help. Say, “God help me. Let me receive this.” Because, yeah, sometimes we need help.

Ask the Almighty to give you wisdom
Wisdom that is deep That is deep

We will be back again next week to join Tu Nokwe here in her Johannesburg home. The brilliant singer-songwriter and actress will enlighten us on Zulu traditions, and share stories about meeting Supreme Master Ching Hai and South African President Nelson Mandela.

Thank you for enjoying our show today on Vegetarian Elite. Coming up now is Between Master and Disciples, here on Supreme Master Television. May kindness, love, and laughter light your life.