Former environment and political activist Wangari Maathai is a celebrated person, she is synonymous with her vicious fight to protect the environment which culminated into a Nobel Peace Prize Victory. She is legendary, but an American Jazz artist has decided to honour the Kenya’s only Nobel Laureate how he knows best, by composing a jazz song in honour of her work.
Wangari Maathai is the first single from Carlos Muñoz’ new album Follow Me which features a monologue by the singer at the beginning of the song before three female singers accompany the instruments; piano, guitar, violin and drums with the name of the former activist which largely forms the chorus.
In regular intervals, throughout the song Carlos Muñoz recites famous quotes by the former activist including, “The generation that destroys the environment is not the generation that pays the price. That is the problem,”
He also quotes Wangari Maathai when he says, “When we plant trees we plant seeds of peace and the seeds of hope,”
Wangari Maathai’s video is also a sequence of environmental panoramic shots tailored to portray the now deceased activist as a champion of nature.
The song also has clips from when Wangari Maathai was encouraging women to plant trees in order to bring barren land back to life and ultimately achieve a sustainable local economy.
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Wangari Maathai’s 7th commemoration was held on September 25, 2018 meaning that the song was released approximately three weeks after the event.
The former activist died in 2011.
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