Lerato Matheka
MASERU — Puseletso Seema is a legend in her own right.
In 40 years as a musician, Seema has not only made her mark in the male-dominated famo music industry but bravely built a family with a man who once raped her when she was 14.
She told XpressPeople that she was afraid to tell her mother that she had been raped and decided to go to KwaZulu-Natal with the man.
While there she met the famous Mahotela Queens and performed with the group.
She became a mother at 16.
Born on November 14, 1949, Seema started singing at a tender age.
Her mother left her in the care of her grandmother when she went to South Africa where she spent years without returning home.
Her grandmother took her to school only up to Class One, which is equivalent to today’s Standard Five.
Seema used to sing famo lyrics when she was bored, watching the livestock grazing on the slopes of the Mahobong highlands in Leribe.
Later in life she would perform on the same stage with legendary famo men like Tau ea Mats’ekha and Appollo Ntabanyane.
“At 14, I had to go herd my grandmother’s livestock because we didn’t have a boy in the family,” she told XpressPeople.
“When I was sad I used to reflect on my shameful situation of growing up on my own because my mother lived in South Africa and I felt deserted and alone in Lesotho.”
You can see the emotion in Seema’s eyes as she talks about her difficult childhood.
At the age of 14 she joined her mother in South Africa but what was supposed to be the beginning of a new life turned into a nightmare.
A boyfriend she had just met forced himself on her.
Scared of the shame associated with having sex before marriage back then, Seema refused to go back home.
She eloped with him and they moved to KwaZulu-Natal where he worked.
Seema and her husband came back to Lesotho but, sadly, he died in 1970.
“His family kicked me out along with my children. I still had not spoken to my mother since the forced sex.
“After I was kicked out I changed homes like a hobo with my children until I moved to Boleka, Mahareng in Mafeteng at my father’s home.”
“I settled there and concentrated on building my family and my music,” she said.
Seema recorded her first album titled Lipapatlele Batho ba ’Mino (Musicians are wanderers) in 1980.
She left her father’s house after it was broken into several times.
Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso, now Principal Chief of Matsieng, allowed her to stay at a house he inherited at Ha-Mantsebo, about 35km south of Maseru.
“His mother (the late Queen ’Mamohato) was my biggest supporter.”
Seema, who is popularly known by her current hit, Ea Pota Ngoetsi, has been in the industry for more than 40 years.
“I never do collaborations because I was cheated once by jazz singer Frank Leepa who failed to pay me so I resolved never to do collaborations.”
Her other hits, Puseletso Seema le Tau ea Linare which was recorded in 1981, Makaota, Sela le oele Matsieng, Mofata Sebiba, Ea Pota Ngoetsi and Basali ba ntoile ke’ng have kept people dancing over the years but Seema says she has no intention of stopping.
“I am working on going back to studio soon because the last album was released in 2010.”
She says music is her calling.
“I don’t write my lyrics, I sing from the heart and my music is almost all the time relevant to everyone.
“I sing emotions, whether they are mine or of people around me.”
Seema says over the years she has realised that women are her worst rivals.
She says fellow women have tried to pull her down.
“It’s very sad that after all the hard work I have injected over the years to empower women and myself of course, the same people I had in mind are my worst rivals.
“When I get local bookings, I know if there is a woman among the organisers, she is going to deny me the amount of money I deserve yet they favour my male counterparts, it’s very sad.”
She however says it has become a part of her because “a prophet is not respected in his homeland”.
“I have performed in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa and I must say even to-date South Africa still gives me the respect I got when I started out.”
Seema recently performed at a cultural festival in the Free State in South Africa.
“I am thankful to my supporters and I will continue to produce hits until God tells me to stop.”
She advises aspiring musos to avoid using vulgar language in their lyrics.
“As artistes we get respect from the messages we communicate in our music. Reflect respect in your lyrics, and always put God ahead of your plans and dreams,” Seema said.
She may be famous for her involvement in music but Seema does more.
She looks after orphans and the elderly in Ha-‘Mantsebo and the surrounding villages.
“I have always been generous. I live with my eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren and I’m expecting two more great grandchildren.
“I thank God that I still have a mother who I am now on talking terms with after all that I have done.
She is 95 and she has shown me nothing but love.”
She has so far recorded 30 albums.