Cuando nació, su destino parecía estar decidido. Su raza y su familia le condenaron a la esclavitud, a largas jornadas de trabajo no remunerado. No se conformaba con sufrir, día tras día, el duro trabajo en los cañaverales, como su padre y sus hermanos antes que él. Pero aquella mañana, cuando empezó a cantar con melancolía las canciones ancestrales de su raza, su ama, la dueña de la casa, que pasaba por allí, le oyó. Preguntó: "¿De dónde viene esa voz? El capataz señaló al muchacho negro avergonzado y se disculpó: "¿Quiere que le azote? ¿Te entristece su canto? Oh, no", respondió. "Quiero a ese chico, quiero su dulce voz conmigo a partir de ahora. Mañana, muy temprano, empezará a acompañarme, trabajará para mí". Aquel día cambió la vida de Thulani. Gracias a su voz, su sufrimiento terminó.

When he was born, his fate seemed to be determined. His race and his family condemned him to slavery, to long days of unpaid labor. He was not content with his suffering, day after day, the hard work in the cane fields, like his father and brothers before him. But that morning, when he began to sing the ancestral songs of his race with melancholy, his mistress, the owner of the house, who was passing by, heard him. She asked, "Where does that voice come from? The foreman pointed to the black boy in shame and apologized: “Do you want me to whip him? Does his singing sadden you? Oh, no,” she replied. “I want that boy, I want his sweet voice with me from now on. Tomorrow, very early, he will begin to accompany me, he will work for me.” That day changed Thulani's life. Thanks to his voice, his suffering ended.