Million Voices
Encyclopedia
Million Voices is a song
by Haitian-American musician Wyclef Jean
from the soundtrack
of the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda
.
, like many of the people in his home country as well as other Caribbean countries including many Latin American countries, are descendants of people brought from Africa to the Americas by slave traders from Europe. Many African-Americans and Caribbeans do not know their ancestral heritage, yet are curious about where they come from. They may never know but they still feel connected to Africa. This is why Wyclef Jean wrote Million Voices, a song that deals with the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
, in which nearly a million people lost their lives.
Rwanda
, an African nation that was once under the control of Germany
, was later given to Belgium
after the First World War
, when Germany was forced to surrender its colonies. The Belgians went in, and separated the Rwandans into two pre-existing tribes. The Tutsis were supposedly more "white"-looking in appearance, taller and with thinner noses, and the Hutus darker, so claimed the Belgian rulers who placed the Tutsis in lower rungs of government (the upper rung continued to be occupied by Belgians) to rule over the country. After years of oppression, and once independence was given to Rwanda, the Hutus were given power, since they were the majority. In a genocide militiant Hutus took revenge on the Tutsis in 1994 after years of propaganda by the Hutus that paralleled the Nazis' hatred against the Jews.
The song then, subtly reflects the ignorance of the European leaders, and how the artificial hierarchy of races created by the Europeans has destroyed the society of African nations.
ren, backed by a chorus
of cascading vocals. Wyclef Jean sums up his message that Africa
has value due to all its work and toil, and that all the precious commodities don't justify its oppression
. He argues that a people who were one from the beginning can still unite.
for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture, and the 2006 Grammy Award
for Best Song Written in a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by Haitian-American musician Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
from the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 American drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay written by both George and Keir Pearson. Based on real life events which took place in Rwanda during the spring of 1994, the film stars Don Cheadle as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who attempts to...
.
Themes
Wyclef Jean, born in HaitiHaiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, like many of the people in his home country as well as other Caribbean countries including many Latin American countries, are descendants of people brought from Africa to the Americas by slave traders from Europe. Many African-Americans and Caribbeans do not know their ancestral heritage, yet are curious about where they come from. They may never know but they still feel connected to Africa. This is why Wyclef Jean wrote Million Voices, a song that deals with the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
, in which nearly a million people lost their lives.
Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, an African nation that was once under the control of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, was later given to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when Germany was forced to surrender its colonies. The Belgians went in, and separated the Rwandans into two pre-existing tribes. The Tutsis were supposedly more "white"-looking in appearance, taller and with thinner noses, and the Hutus darker, so claimed the Belgian rulers who placed the Tutsis in lower rungs of government (the upper rung continued to be occupied by Belgians) to rule over the country. After years of oppression, and once independence was given to Rwanda, the Hutus were given power, since they were the majority. In a genocide militiant Hutus took revenge on the Tutsis in 1994 after years of propaganda by the Hutus that paralleled the Nazis' hatred against the Jews.
The song then, subtly reflects the ignorance of the European leaders, and how the artificial hierarchy of races created by the Europeans has destroyed the society of African nations.
Synopsis
The song criticizes ex-colonial powers for splitting Africa into so many countries and thus, making them very weak economically. An assumption is being made that the many tribes and nations that have been at war for thousands of years, would on their own have united. The lyrics "Why can't Africa be the United Kingdom of Africa", refers to the unnecessary division of the continent, which would be much stronger if it were unified.Choir
The song lends the voice of the childChild
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren, backed by a chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
of cascading vocals. Wyclef Jean sums up his message that Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
has value due to all its work and toil, and that all the precious commodities don't justify its oppression
Oppression
Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, and...
. He argues that a people who were one from the beginning can still unite.
Translation
The Kinyarwanda lyrics which are part of the song (and heard in the few parts of the film, like the ending) are as follows.- Ni ryari izuba rizagaruka hejuru yacu? Ni nde uzaricyeza?
- ni rjari zuba rizaɡaruka heʒuru jatʃu (ni)nduzarikjeza
- When will the sun return above us? Who will reveal it to us once again?
Awards and nominations
In 2005 and 2006, "Million Voices" was nominated for two mainstream awards; the 2005 Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture, and the 2006 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Song Written in a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.