Commonwealth Connections

Up and coming 200m and 400m sprinter Kasheem Colbourne expresses through his music choice his deep pride in the beauty of his country. 'Antigua' by Rupert Blaize conjures up paradise-like images of this twin island state's stunning natural landscape and the warmth of its people, and for these reasons is a popular song in the country. Glasgow 2014 will be Kasheem's first time competing at Commonwealth level and in his contribution to Commonwealth Connections he expresses his resolve to do well, represent Antigua and Barbuda, and put it on the map in the minds of the world-wide audience for the track and field events.

Mark Atkins is regarded as one of Australia's finest virtuoso didgeridoo players and is recognized internationally for his collaborations with some of the world's leading musicians, including Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Sinead O'Connor and minimalist classical composer Philip Glass. Atkins is of Irish/Australian heritage, as well as being a descendant of Western Australia's Yamitji people. We get a chance to hear him performing and weaving stories at a didgeridoo workshop- festival held in Woolloongabba, a suburb of Brisbane, alongside contributions from master didgeridoo player Stephen Kent and Aboriginal player Adrian Burragubba, who talks about the concepts of 'Dreamtime' and 'songlines'.

Suleman Nyambui Mujaya struck silver for Tanzania in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. He stayed in sport and is now General Secretary of Athletic Tanzania. His chosen artist is Best Nasso, and the track is Narudi Kijijini, a warning for young Africans leaving their villages that life in the big city might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

In the Namibian bush, close to the Botswana border, two San families share their musical traditions. As one of southern Africa's oldest peoples, the San are proud of a way of life that is dying out. We hear berry-picking work songs and healing dances that have been performed for centuries. In Namibia's capital, Windhoek, singer-songwriter Elemotho is also preserving Namibian traditions through his music. He explains how his childhood in the Kalahari Desert has influenced his songs.

Christianne Legentil did Mauritius proud by reaching the quarter finals of the 52kg women's Judo category at the London Olympics, despite coming from an island just 18 kilometres long in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Rodrigues Island lies five hundred kilometres east of the main island of Mauritius, and the Republic of Mauritius is an unusual Commonwealth Country because it is largely French speaking. Christine has chosen some seggae music, a fusion of the local sega music and reggae with an old favourite "Li Tourner" by Alain Ramanisum which has recently been given a new lease of life by local DJs.

The music of Barbados is a curious hybrid of British culture and African rhythms dating back to plantation days, and their strong Calypso song is an aural newspaper of modern life on the island. Wayne 'Poonka' Willocks explains the tradition of his three man Tuk band of bass drum, snare drum and penny whistle and its connection to Scottish marching bands. Nine-times Calypso Monarch winner, Dr Anthony Carter, better known as The Mighty Gabby, sings of a more contemporary Barbados with his spontaneous and witty songs which tell stories about Bajan life. The songs range widely across hot topics in Bajan culture from the life of fishermen, a protest about sending Bajan troops to war, and of course the Bajan passion for Cricket, told with a twinkle and a more than a hint of sexual double-entendre.

Bahamian 400m sprinter and triple Olympic medallist, Chris Brown, talks about junkanoo, the music of the annual street parades that resonates with all Bahamians. This music, deeply rooted in the islands' historic ties to Africa, brings back memories for Chris of winning a drumming competition as a child and becoming the lead drummer on his island, of crowds dancing in the streets underneath giant figures of people and animals, and of fires springing up across the islands, lit to warm the drums so that they make the perfect sound. Chris explains how the rhythms of junkanoo are still with him today at international competitions, inspiring him to achieve the very best.

Every Sunday morning, townships across South Africa vibrate to the sound and colour of traditional gospel services. The Holy Ethiopian Catholic Church of Zion gather in Soweto to sing songs which blend ancient Zulu melodies and free-flowing phrases with missionary-style harmonies which they say bring them closer to God. A very different kind of township style is found in the music of Madosini, a mouth-bow player and singer living in Cape Town. Now 92 years old, and still performing professionally, she sings stories of life in pre-apartheid rural South Africa, with dramatic overtone-singing and expressive mouth-bow effects.

Mosito Lehata, 100 and 200 metre sprinter, is the fastest man in Lesotho and is the current holder of the country's record for the 100 metres. Mosito's chosen artist is Lesotho saxophonist Bhudaza with the track "Tjontjobina" from his album "Bo-Mapefane".

Generations of musicians have found inspiration from their landscape, their fishing traditions and island life in Newfoundland. This lively music session recorded in St. John's, Newfoundland's capital city, features legendary button accordionist Frank Maher, singer and collector of folk songs, Jean Hewson, the respected fiddler, and academic Christina Smith plus other local musicians including bodhran player Rick West and fiddler Tony O'Brien.

In Port Antonio on the north side of the island, the Jolly Boys, a mento band formed in 1945 to entertain at Errol Flynn's parties, live a quiet life entertaining the visiting stars and singing songs of social comment. This is Jamaica's Calypso, complete with banjo, percussion and rumba box accompaniment, an acoustic forerunner to the ubiquitous Reggae music heard all over the Caribbean.

Gideon Mthembu made his name as a marathon runner for Swaziland, representing his country at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.He went on to play an important role in the administration of athletics in Swaziland, becoming General Secretary of the Athletics Federation, and today continues his work promoting track and field in the whole Southern Africa region. He chose the artist Bholoja, with a song called "Indzawo Yami" from his album "Swazi Soul", a beautiful song explaining Swazis' deep attachment to the land they call home