Cape Town Opera’s Youth Development and Education Department recently embarked on an evocative new project with young learners in Khayelitsha and Stellenbosch: The People of Nyalashishi (a fictitious place, meaning ‘People of the Soil’).
Cape Town Opera’s The People of Nyalashishi
T
he new musical production evoked memories
and techniques to the learners. For this project, George
and stories of San and Xhosa cultures, and
and Magatyana had to conduct intensive research on San
their relationship with water and other natural
culture and language. All 44 students were taken on a road
resources. What do these cultures’ past
trip to the !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre
practices teach us now during a time of drought and
on the West Coast, and cultural historian and traditional
environmental degradation? How can we learn from the
music artist Dizu Plaatjies taught the creative team about
past to influence our future?
indigenous musical instruments.
Twenty-five students at Khayelitsha’s Chris Hani Arts
Magatyana is Xhosa, making the music composition
& Culture High School, and 19 students at Makupula
familiar and easy. ‘It was an opportunity for me to
Secondary School in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, participated
introduce traditional music to the learners, who are from
in this workshop-style musical theatre production. Over
the city, and not necessarily from our villages in the
the course of three months, director Mhlanguli George and
Eastern Cape,’ he says.
composer Bongani Magatyana met with the school learners
The People of Nyalashishi was created with funding from
on a weekly basis to create, rehearse and perform the text
the National Geographic, Rand Merchant Bank, Maria Marina
and music.
and the Western Cape Government. Performances took place
‘Theatre is not only about speaking the lines,’ says George, explaining how he introduced theatre concepts
14 / Creative Feel / December 2018 / January 2019
at Chris Hani on 10 October and at Makupula Secondary on 25 October 2018. CF
