African Summer

African Summer

African Summer

_ Harry Cunningham 2016

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African Summer (2016) Exhibited: at Urban Axis apart of the Perth Winter Season Arts Festival at PSAS, Fremantle 2017.

Please Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the traditional custodians of Australia and although many have strong links to the sea that has lasted for thousands of years, this is not covered here.

Contemporary Africans and Australians share a love for the beach. But how do their perspectives, values and attitudes regarding the beach differ? African Summer explores African beach culture from an Australian perspective and challenges Western perceptions of people in contemporary Africa.

Both of these cultures enjoy the beach for recreation (water, sun and sand) as well as for renewing and strengthening social ties by being at the beach with families and friends. The difference lies in the deeper values and attitudes within African culture; a greater sense of community, regard for the beach as a unique experience (that may only come once a year), and African traditional beliefs regarding the sea and seawater.

The large sense of community was evident down at Gordon’s Bay during New Year’s Day. Gordon’s Bay is one of the largest and most popular beaches in Cape Town, South Africa. Sadly, this is a beach that- 25 years ago- was (by law) only accessible by people of white complexion during the Apartheid from 1948-1991. Unlike Australia, where mostly small families, couples or close friends enjoy the beach, in Africa, far larger groups gather. While I walked along the beach-front, i could see a large group (of thirty or more people) singing, jumping and dancing together in the water, as well as many soccer games being played amongst the crowds of thousands.

To go to the beach, for many Africans is a unique and special experience. As little as once a year (usually Christmas time or New year), these people travel from far away and use themoney they have saved for taxis or pile into cars just to get down to the beach. Some even risk their lives to fulfill the beach experience. Those who do not have the luxury of having access to the sea or a swimming pool and may lack the ability to swim (or are not strong swimmers) are most at risk. They venture into the ocean filled with waves and rips for the experience of being immersed in the seawater. In some cases, unaware of rip currents, weak swimmers venturing into the ocean can have tragic consequences.

Throughout southern Africa, African people have strong beliefs about the sea being ritually pure and washing up impurities onto the beach. In addition, syncretic religions such as African Zionism (a blend of Charismatic Christianity and African animist beliefs) have developed strong links to the sea through full immersion baptisms of many of its 7 million members in the sea. Most Australians see the sea as it is, while African people, who have a spiritual connection with the sea, will visit the beach to collect sea water to take home for ritual purposes.

It is a mistake, however, for us to think that traditional beliefs are unchanging or are the only determinants of people’s attitudes to the experiencing the beach and the sea. There is as much a love of technology as a means of capturing and sharing the beach experience (by means of smartphones, iPads or selfies sticks) in contemporary Africa as there is in Australia.

1989. “Apartheid Protest at 2 Beaches.” The New York Times, August 20, 1989. http://www.nytimes. com/1989/08/20/world/apartheid-protest-at-2-beaches.html.

Berglund, Axel-Ivar. Zulu thought-patterns and symbolism, p56. No. 22. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1976.

Makanda, Andiswa. “OPINION: The Luxuries Of Privilege”. Ewn.co.za. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

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Cover Bijouterie, 2016 _ I II

Scattered Colour, 2016 Father and Child, 2016 IV Horseplay, 2016 VI African Man pt.1, 2016 VII African Man pt.2, 2016 VIII Crowd Scene, 2016 X The Sunbaker, 2016 XII Life Vest, 2016 XIII Profile Picture, 2016 XIV Soccer Game, 2016 XVI Family Photo, 2016 XVIII Selfie, 2016 XX Warmed By The Sun, 2016 XXII Singing Among The Bay, 2016

African Summer Harry Cunningham _ First Edition, December 2017 25 Copies, Australia Listening album// Polycurrents by Elvin Jones Contact// harryc363@gmail.com Printed by// Discus www.discus.com.au/ Website// www.harrycunningham.com _ AFRICAN SUMMER COPYRIGHT ©2017 SELF PUBLISHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED. PRINTED DISCUS.

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AFRICAN SUMMER

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