Leather, spikes and cowboy hats: introducing
Botswana's metal heads
Unlike Western head bangers, Botswana fans hark
back to retro 1970s British style
Rather than 'Hell's Angels,' rockers see
themselves as 'guardian angels'
President Ian Khama is said to be a heavy metal
fan
Gaborone, Botswana -- While Botswana is perhaps
best known for its wildlife reserves, a burgeoning counter-culture is painting a
very different image of the small south African country.
Clad in leather, adorned in spikes and topped off
with cowboy hats, these are Botswana's heavy metal heads.
CNN got up close to the hardcore rockers and
discovered a passionate retro scene proudly celebrating its African
heritage.
While Western head bangers are most commonly
associated with sneakers and band t-shirts, Botswana's fans have carved a unique
image reminiscent of the 1970s New Wave British heavy metal scene.
Watch: Fighting for Botswana's
traditions
Photographer Frank Marshall captured the rockers
in all their Hell's Angels-style glory as part of his Renegades exhibition, on
display at the Rooke Gallery in Johannesburg.
"Metal was seeded here by a classic rock band
that started in the early 70s. Since then, it's evolved and grown," he
said.
Meeting up with Botswana's 'metal heads'
Expression through metal music The sound of Botswana's metal music
"In the last 10 to 20 years, it's come to be
visually composed of what it looks like now -- the guys dressed in leather. It
started off with classic rock and later on more extreme forms of metals were
introduced."
Marshall described a macho scene with unique
rituals, adding: "There's a strong sense of camaraderie amongst them. That's the
first thing you'll notice about them as an outsider coming in. They've got a
very strong bond and friendship with each other.
"They're very physical. At the shows, you don't
just shake their hands. They'll grab your hand and shake you
around.
"They embody the very aggressive elements of
metal. It's an expression of power. Everything is an expression of power for
them, from the clothes to the way they speak to the way they walk. They walk
with very deliberate lurching strides.
"To them, it's perfectly normal. Maybe for an
outside observer, from the west it might seem bizarre or comical but not here.
They're respected and revered in some ways as well."
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With names like Demon and Gunsmoke it would be
easy to dismiss the rockers as thugs. But in fact, the titles come with a strong
awareness of social responsibility.
"We try to portray a good figure. We're trying to
be role models. I know rock used to be a hardcore thing but actually it's
something in our heart too," heavy metal head Gunsmoke said.
"It's all about brothers in arms. Brothers in
metal -- we're there for each other. That's the way we identify
ourselves."
The leather-clad rockers share a similar
aesthetic to notorious motorcycle gang the Hell's Angels. But that's where the
likeness ends. According to Gunsmoke, the African head bangers are seen as a
type of guardian angel, rather than the Hell's variety.
"Kids follow us around. Parents approach us.
We're there for a good cause actually. We help people on the streets at night,"
he said.
And for the hardcore fans, heavy metal is more
than just a scene -- it's part of the national identity.
Even the Botswana president Ian Khama is a fan.
Or at least that's according to Gunsmoke.
"We want to make him proud. He made us proud with
one man like him leading the nation. Why should we be scared when our president
is a rocker?" Gunsmoke argued.
"Bots is known as a small country. People used to
think it was a province of south Africa.
Why should we be scared when our president is a
rocker?
heavy metal fan Gunsmoke
"But if we can stand tall on this family then we
can be known as much as the country was unknown."
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townships
It's a uniquely African movement, and one that
celebrates a special spiritual connection to the land.
Gunsmoke pointed to the use of animal horns in
fashion, as a representation of Africa.
"Most of us are in a tribe. The totems are
animals. We've got the crocodile, lion, hare, rabbit. You name it. It's part of
your culture," he added.
African mythology and folklore loom large in the
lyrics of Botswana band Skinflint. CNN caught up with lead singer Giuseppe at a
gig just outside the capital Gaborone.
"We have a lot of ancestral beliefs - back in the
day they used to believe that if someone dies and you touch the dead person then
Gauna will come and take your soul," he said,
"Gauna was created on a 7-inch vinyl and it was
distributed by Legion of Death Records in France. We're the first ever African
heavy metal band to release something on vinyl."
The white singer also pointed to the unifying
powers of heavy metal, saying: "The metal nation knows no racial boundaries.
We're all one. We all speak one common language and it's called heavy
metal.
"Metal is a music about power, independence and
freedom. That's what I believe in --fighting for what you believe in no matter
the consequences. Standing up for what you believe in and showing
individuality."
from: cnn
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