CONTENTS
06 | PEEPLE 07
Nawaal Illustrations Cover Feature
11
The Ts’omo Series
17
The Black Power Station: A Safe Space for Defying Artistic Boundaries
22 | EARTH 23
Homecoming: A Return to the Ocean
27 | PAIN & JOY 28
Di Okpara
33
Baptised in a Salon & Face of a Man
36
Kolo
41
After
43
Habibti Beauty
46
Welcome Home, My Love
EDITOR’S NOTE NATHI DASS Editor-In-Chief
I’m not sure about you but I have been really struggling now that we are at the tail end of the year. Not necessarily mental health wise (though it undoubtedly played a part) but in being productive. All too prematurely I shut down shop, sent the employees home and tried to clean the floors one last time. But then I realised it was early and there were still tasks to do and though I try, all of the equipment is packed away. This is a long way of saying, it has been a very long year. Nearly endless. Besides my personal struggles I’m not sure if you saw but the world has been on metaphorical and literal fire for large swarths of this year. But we have made it out - just about. All we can do is thank whatever got us here with the widest and most open heart. Short of an unlikely cataclysm, next year has to be better. Light will, light always comes. It may be a job, a movement, a (re)newed love, some positive manifestations manifesting. Even if its just a fresh start, next year will be the year of return. The return of the vaccinated world to something like normalcy, a return of communion, of joy. I pray you are in a place to receive it all. I pray you are able to go home.
5
SECTION ONE
PEEPLE
SARAH DAHIR
NAWAAL ILLUSTRATIONS My name is Sarah Dahir, and I’m a freelance artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. All my work is digitally made using Procreate and Photoshop. My work centres around black women and sisterhood. I aim to create work that is easy going and fun, I showcase my subjects doing regular things like riding a bike or going on a road trip. The aim is to show black girls enjoying themselves, living an easy life to create a sense of unity. @sarah_dahir @nawaal_illustrations
10
KOAILE MONAHENG
THE TS’OMO SERIES Koaile Monaheng, a Mandela Rhodes Scholarship recipient from the Kingdom of Lesotho is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town. He’s an avid (anti-genre) music lover who’s convinced he’s a music curator instead of a DJ. Koaile is a founding member of Organic Live and currently the Assistant Music Repertoire. @koaile_mona @organiclive_
11
of, no contact with humans, birthdays over zoom and high anxiety every time I heard the commonly used introduction of “My fellow South Africans’’ before the President’s Speech.
When the year came to a complete standstill for the first time since the second World War, I was in my flat in Cape Town, choosing the option to lockdown here in South Africa instead of my home country, the Kingdom of Lesotho. In truth, I had assessed which space would be ideal for my academic productivity in the hopes that the closer I was to campus the better, and the sooner I would be able to finish this academic year. I was treading water in a Climate Change and Sustainable Development Master’s degree in the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI), at the University of Cape Town. Quite the mouth full, I know. Coming from an International Relations background, I had no foundational understanding of climate science, the climate system, modelling, forecasting, downscaling (you name it, the list goes on), however, I needed to adapt. I was exceedingly stressed and overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the life we were now living, the liberties we were stripped
During the height of the pandemic, I was able to be still and center myself within art, using it as a form of remembrance for days and memories gone by. More importantly, I was able to reflect on what really, really matters in this world, in this life. My journey with music began as far as I could remember and I owe it all to my older brother Chad and his house archives from the 90’s which I’ve kept to this day. That’s 30 decades of a miscellaneous assortment of tunes covering kwaito, deep house, mid-tempo, afro-beats, jazz, hip hop – a genreless journey. Although the only instrument I ever learnt to play was the flute in prep school, my ear always had a deep connection to music; it always found me. I can tell you what each of the people whom I’ve come across in my life’s favorite song is only having listened to it once. I can tell you if it’s Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore or John Williams 10 minutes into a film. My friends will tell you that I’m that guy who applauds the song transition from a DJ at groove, starts dancing and reacting to the next one before anyone else has heard it I’ll even name the year, track number and vocalist. Beyond being an avid music follower my journey at Rhodes University transcended into delivering a unique experience and finding creatives who challenged and introduced me to a whole new world of different vibes and energy in music – my natural state of mind was always to curate it, no pause like a playlist between songs - let’s keep going, keep it flowing like the water.
12
In the midst of probably the most uncertain, high-pressure academic year of my life, I found a tranquil sanctuary in music.
I have always loved music through the years and ascribed most memories of my life both good and bad to a song. Admittedly though, I had not realised just how my love and appreciation for music evolved into therapy for me in this trying and uncertain time.
story’ through a synergy of different creative art forms through music such as photography, fashion, painting and writing. My aim is to tell their stories through this curation – no, I keep saying this “I’m not a DJ, just reminiscing on what I used to listen to growing up, the memories are in the music. Maybe you can relate?”
Art therapy has been a vouchsafe space in cultivating self-care, tapping into a state of workflow, reducing stress and taking my mind off things, at least for a few minutes this year. It felt like I had been doing this my whole life, perhaps in truth we all have and even though our generation is often criticized about the notion of earphones everywhere “music on, world off” remains a sacred practice. This was the founding principle for the Ts’omo Series I created. I wanted to find a safe space during and especially, due to the social changes the COVID19 pandemic has caused. It was and still exceptionally important that we try by all means to come to terms with accepting how things are now by firstly putting the mind at ease.
There are officially 5 episodes so far on my SoundCloud each with its own unique feel, mood and story. I have had the opportunity to work with Makhanda-based artist, photographer and filmmaker Mapule Mokete on Pula Eana and Chameleon Collection Founder Qhapile Langa and Director Chaka Dlamini on “We”. From Lesotho, multifaceted photographer Lehlohonolo Moqekela on Lapeng. From East Africa, Ugandan self-expressionist photographer and videographer, Ethel Nshakira on Kugana and from West Africa, Nigerian illustrator and designer Osaze Amadasun on An ode to Anikulapo. Forthcoming this year is a series with Lesotho based fashion, style and photography creative agency The Fabric Era and one of Makhanda’s most decorated up and coming portrait photographers Ntikana Ramohlale. The vision I have through this series is that by sharing their work, they can reach more platforms and grow even further than they are presently. Art is one of the world’s best kept secrets that should be enjoyed by all.
Ts’omo, a ‘tale’ or ‘story telling’ in Sesotho, is the title of an art therapy experience born out of level 5 lockdown. Since then, I have had the opportunity to partner up with some exceptionally talented individuals in ‘curating a
What do these creatives have in common? They are all African. Through the real, raw, authentic artistic interpretation of their African experiences I have been able to learn that we are authors of our own futures and we can write them however
13
we like. In my climate change work, I reinforce the importance of rewriting ourselves into the history books due to a neglect and erasure of the African experience in climate matters (which is ironically the worst affected region). For me, music has been a constant catalyst of that history making experience in Africa and I am proud to be a part of that process through this series. To do the work, the uncovering, the unraveling and bring it all to the fore keeps me alive! Throughout our history in the international order, Africa has always been relegated to the periphery and has
attempted to exercise our African agency to unbolt this image. African artists have been doing this kind of work for years abroad and through the diaspora dominating the spaces they have arrived at genre by genre, therefore falsifying the notion that Africa is a place of no history, no thought and no contribution. I’m no longer surprised at how my idol South African artist Nkosinathi Maphumolo known all over the world as Black Coffee has been able to become a global icon for Africa; an agenda-setter not rule-taker; an actor not a bystander; an African Agent not a subordinate.
14
the 1920’s among the African-American population, which is rooted in African Roots. Music was a central symbolic space of comfort for oppressed African Americans in the face of racism, discrimination and segregation.
In curating each episode of the T’somo Series, I was driven by the strong inclination that music should have meaning and purpose. Another example comes from South African duo Thabo “Smol” Mabogwane and Robert “DJ Murdah” Mohosana known as Black Motion’s latest album ‘The Healers,’ that dropped on Heritage Day, the 24th of September to commemorate 10 years of Black Motion. The album is a masterclass, absolute genius; a soulful blend of tribal, ancestral, deep, groovy, South African house music; they truly flexed their versatility and experience on this one. However, there is one track that will probably not get the recognition it deserves on the album – Swing Jozi. Swing Jozi features the soulful singer, songwriter Malehloka Hlalele who mesmerises you with her lyrics that tell the story of a girl from Africa, taking on the world and its skewed inequalities to realise and fetch her dreams. She mentions different countries in Africa illustrating that she comes from all corners of the continent. Her lyrics flow stunningly over the other unique feature of this song in the jazzy beat and name – ‘swing.’ Whether they realize it or not Black Motion have musically pulled off a symbolic, historical, political masterclass through music. Throughout history, music has always been a site of politics, more specifically the site for emancipation. The genre of jazz in the townships of South Africa has strong linkages to the streets of Harlem in America as well. Swing music and dance studios have their origins in Harlem in
For Black Motion to produce and bring to life a South African Swing spin off is a political language spoken between Soweto and Harlem. These are two unique places in the world embedded with rich black emancipatory history through which the visit of Nelson Mandela in 1990 served as certification by referring to their bond “as an unbreakable umbilical cord”. Borrowing from his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Madiba recalls Harlem as “an area that had assumed legendary proportions in my mind since the 1950s when I watched young men in Soweto emulate the fashions of Harlem dandies.” He also strongly refers to the writings of African-American civil rights activists W.E.B. Du Bios, Martin Luther King’s opposition towards racism, discrimination, and economic inequality. Most, notably his boxing idol “The Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, who took on not only his opponents in the ring, but racists outside of it.” This relationship stretches back several centuries beyond politics, social issues to culture, music and art. Through ‘Swing Jozi’ Black Motion have reignited and retrieved this Madiba Magic through song and dance; uncovering this relationship between Harlem and Soweto that is hardly known about. That is my interpretation of just a single song on an album, the process of uncovering is one that I am passionate about; that discovering a new song feeling.
15
Poet Hans Christian put it beautifully saying that “where words fail music speaks,” a notion South Africans know too well due to the role jazz music played in the anti-apartheid struggle. I embody the emancipatory element in that statement in the series for all Africans in seeking freedom through music. To say I’m ‘genre-less’ is an understatement; moving between jazz, nu-jazz, funk, alternative, electronica, hip-hop, lo-fi, tribal house, afro tech, garage, techo, trap-house jazz, latin, afro-beats just to name a few. I owe this growth to three shifts, firstly, to one of my closest friends and drummer Siyabonga’s Skosana who was the first and last person to hear the final product and taught me how to deeply listen to every single note and instrument in a song. Secondly, through the support and help of two of the most energetic colleagues Karabo Mokoena and Takatso Mokhala, who founded First Saturdays, an event that celebrated South African house music both past and present molded together by style, fashion and expressionism influenced by Tshwanefontein. Lastly, to my dear friends Mduduzi Ntshinglia and producer Tsukudu Moroeng through the Elastic Music Group and provided my introduction to the alternative music universe. A few years later myself, Tsukudu and Khanyisile Tshabalala would go on to create Organic Live – a musical event aimed at shifting the culture of music and art in Makhanda – creating a space where open-minded people could come together to experience something unforgettable, where what was often private and sacred in your
earphones could be heard all the way from the Monument. The event became a movement that was further elevated by an extraordinarily talented team of creative thinkers, writers, musicians, DJs, content creators and through their exceptional contributions we launched our first website this year in 2020; during Covid-19. To be honest, I have no idea where this curation will take me, whether I’ll invest in a deck and take on the title of DJ and expand further or keep on creating, curating and sharing the stories from all parts of the continent, but simply walk with me, tsamea le ‘na.
Please check out the series and the descriptions of each set (the artists’ links and bio’s are up on in each episode here as well); https://soundcloud.com/ ezzyd0esit/sets. Listen. Vibe. Share
16
HANNEKE du PREEZ
THE BLACK POWER STATION: A SAFE SPACE FOR DEFYING ARTISTIC BOUNDARIES Hanneke du Preez is a second-year journalism student at UCKAR (University Currently Known As Rhodes) who was born in Adelaide, a small town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Given her small-town upbringing, she has a deeply rooted love for the intricacies of spaces. The Black Power Station is one of her first storytelling projects which centres around places instead of people. @hanneke_du @theblackpowerstation 17
In a cosy annexe to the old power station in Makhanda (formerly known as Grahamstown) sits the materialisation of Xolile ‘X’ Madinda’s utopia - The Black Power Station. The dimly lit room with pitch-black walls and floors is decorated with bright colours and is inhabited by books, art, and the spirit of Ubuntu. Often, access to the space is granted through means of a book donation which finds a home in The Book’ona next to the writings of the likes of Bantu Steve Biko and other Black Consciousness thinkers. The Black Power Station sprouted from the need for a space where local creatives and critical thinkers alike could feel safe. Five years later, it has grown into a space that wraps itself around you like a Kaross blanket and leaves you with a sense of belonging. The space as a whole has an isolating effect which transports all those who enter away from the grimly static politics of the past to a forward-moving discourse through the arts.
‘The Audience’ is an area which takes up most of the space and in a traditional performance setting, would house the audience of a performance. The Stage, as the name suggests, is a stage right at the front of the room and can be seen from The Audience, The Book’ona and The Visual Art space. The Book’ona is the most intimate area in the space and acts as a small library where book and poetry readings often take place. The Visual Art Space is decorated with paintings from local artists and acts as a studio for creatives who lack such a space. Lastly, Ekabhini is the kitchen area which is currently under construction. However, it will soon act as a canteen where visitors can indulge in local cuisine.
Nevertheless, as X remarks, “Art is not just paintings hung on gallery walls, but lived, everyday experiences that cannot be bound in a frame and big walls in closed spaces. We want art to be a living form outside, to bring colour and light to the streets, brighten up people’s days and allow them to ask questions, disrupt and de-mystify elitist restrictions to [such] spaces.”
Upon first glance, it seems as though The Black Power Station is divided into five distinct spaces: The Audience, The Book’ona, The Stage, The Visual Art space and Ekabhini (In the Cabinet).
A first-time visitor to The Black Power Station reads from a book which he donated before the show starts. The book in question is ‘Lie on Your Wounds: The Prison Correspondence of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe’ by Robert Sobukwe. This book now has a home in The Book’ona, the in-house library. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
18
Soso (with the painted face), the percussionist for Amandlakhona, guides the audience in a meditation to connect to their higher selves before the show. Amandla (in the white sweater), the lead vocalist for Amandlakhona, participates in the meditation with the audience. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
It is therefore that The Black Power Station promotes a communal spirit of togetherness, collective growth, and empowerment by opening each ‘distinct’ space to performers and their audiences to truly immerse themselves in the true meaning of Ubuntu. X mentioned that performers at The Black Power Station are free to artistically perform and experiment where and how they want, even noting that, “they could perform in the middle of the audience if they wanted to”.
Station is a space for reconciliation and emancipation. It is therefore then that this small annexe to the old power station in Makhanda emulates a glimmer of hope and humanity in an otherwise gloomy time.
The National lockdown as a result of the pandemic has left many longing for the normalcy previously so dreaded. However, the improbability of it returning soon has fuelled a streak of innovation at The Black X himself was a rapper and therefore Power Station. understands the struggle for creative freedom. He also understands how oppressive hardships can be to the creative mind. For X, The Black Power After everybody has connected to their higher selves, Amandlakhona starts their performance. (From left) Xola is on the African drum, Xhanti is on the guitar, Amandla plays the saxophone and is the lead vocalist. Chester (in the black) is normally on the keys but this particular song does not require it, so they are on vocals. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
19
Xola sets the tempo on his African drum for a song which Amandla wrote about being a mother. The song is described by Amandla as her “own unique mix between urban traditional music and jazz”. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
The organisation has recently relaunched a recurring initiative called ‘Supper and Sounds’. The most recent of which took place on October the 30th where a local performance group, Amandlakhona, took the stage. Supper and Sounds, as described by, Xolile, is supper prepared in Ekabhini (the kitchen) at The Black Power Station accompanied by an immersive soundscape performance. Madinda emphasises that the event is not exclusive to musical performances, stating that he would like to invite visual artists to paint on stage while the audience enjoys the amplified sounds of paintbrush strokes on a canvas.
Supper and Sounds with its traditional musical performance was nothing short of brilliant – visually and audibly. The combination of hybrid-jazz, good food, and important conversations made for a comforting yet strange phenomenon which can only be described as sociallydistanced- intimacy. Given the unlikeliness of the Covid-19 pandemic ending soon, this socially distanced intimacy might be something to embrace. It is a marvel to watch how The Black Power Station executes this seemingly oxymoronic concept flawlessly.
As intriguing as that may sound, the last The musician swaps instruments according to the songs throughout the performance. Xhanti, formerly on the acoustic guitar, is now playing ‘the sticks’. These sticks sound similar to drumsticks being slapped together when a drummer counts a song in. However, in this particular song, these sticks add a traditional sound to a folk song. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
20
Supper is served during the half-time interval. The masked visitors to The Black Power Station flock to the opening of Ekabini where the hearty meal was prepared mere hours before the show. There is something for meat eaters and vegans alike. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
During the course of the evening, members of the audience left in dribs and drabs after having supper. This is to their disadvantage however, as the encore of the show is a saxophone solo by Amandla which got the crowd rowdy and begging for even more. Photo by Hanneke du Preez
21
2 SECTION TWO
EARTH
RUTH MTHEMBU
HOMECOMING - A RETURN TO THE OCEAN Ruth aims to use her passion and understanding of law and communications to contribute to society. She has experience in working with society’s most vulnerable children in social development and relief programmes. She has a LLB Degree from the University of KwaZulu Natal, Howard College South Africa. Holding previous positions as Head of Fundraising and Operations Manager, she now holds the position of Strategic Manager of Communications at WILDOCEANS (a programme of the WILDTRUST), situated in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. WILDOCEANS is a reputable marine research, advocacy and awareness programme with accelerated plans for development in the Southern African marine sector. She is also part of the ever-growing “Youth for MPAs”, a youth movement on a mission to save South Africa’s oceans. She firmly believes that lack of marine protection anywhere is a lack of marine protection everywhere.
The ocean is the world’s greatest unifier, but it gets the least attention. How do we ensure that a life-giving force like the ocean, which provides food for over 3 billion people, stays protected? How do we return to the one force that gives us breath in our lungs? Well, I will talk about an example of how a youth movement in South Africa is trying to get us back to loving our ocean.
campaign “Only This Much”, asking the government to attend to the urgency of increased ocean protection.
FIND. FOCUS. FINISH.
FIND. FOCUS. FINISH
This is my favourite quote. Three words packed with power. I like this quote for two reasons:
In the months leading up to October 2018, Y4MPAs engaged with the Department of Environmental Affairs by sending letters to the minister of the department, attending community engagements as well as holding workshops where experts in the field educated us about MPAs, equipping us and further empowering us to work alongside government in achieving 5% marine protection. Lo and behold, on the 24th of October 2018, the government declared 5% marine protection – which would see the protection of 43 ecosystems. What a celebration that was, because we knew our voices were heard.
1. There is an end in mind 2. It is progressive This quote accurately describes Youth for MPAs, a movement conceived in 2018, by a group of marine enthusiasts from all walks of life, backgrounds and ethnicities with one common goal - to advocate for the proclamation and expansion of old and new MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) in South Africa and stand in unity against any threats or harm that may come to our ocean. The group is developing into an informed and passionate youth group within South Africa with over 256 members active across 3 provinces, incorporating over 40 different organisations.
Why did we focus on MPAs? Because MPAs are a tool in the toolbox of ocean protection, and these demarcated “marine parks”, for lack of a better phrase, help mitigate climate change, replenish fish stocks and help keep the ocean resilient.
FIND. FOCUS. FINISH
Our government got on a global stage and promised 10% marine protection by 2020. 2020 began with an energised and focused Y4MPA group, ready to propel us into achieving that 10% while reminding the government to stick to the promise.
We found the problem in 2018, the year the movement was born. Prior to October 2018, only 0.4% of the waters around SA were protected. It was on the back of this that Y4MPAs embarked on a peaceful protest, as seen in the video at the beginning, uniting with the then-
In January 2020, some of our Y4MPA members in Cape Town got together to shoot a powerful short clip with Hollywood actress and fellow ocean activist Shailene Woodley, titled “Love10x20”. The clip aimed to amplify the voices of our youth, uniting for a call to protect our wonderful
24
as well as the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) and Ashoka Changemakers Summit - Y4MPAs Spokesperson, Merrissa Naidoo currently sits on a panel of global youth facilitated by EARTHECHO INTERNATIONAL, to collaborate on campaign ideas that advance the 30x30 global ocean protection target - Our youngest Y4MPA member, Rocco Da Silva was 12 at the time he joined our movement because he felt strongly that ocean protection is key.
life-giving oceans. In March 2020 COVID hit South Africa which demanded an online platform to effect and action change in the marine realm. The world had gone virtual and so had the Youth4MPAs. The movement had various events planned and were invited to engage in numerous online activities, from workshops, webinars and meetings, both locally and internationally. Just highlighting a few of the activities:
- We have members who run their own organisations – Sea The Bigger Picture, founded by members Shamier Magmoet, Chris Krauss and their team – educating young people, teaching them how to dive and raising awareness about our ocean, as well as overcoming their fear of it.
- We have filmmakers in the movement – Shamier Magmoet and Jamila Janna whose films outline a love for the ocean and the importance of marine protection and community inclusivity. - On the 2nd of June 2020 our Their films have been on circuit on DSTV. Y4MPA representative was invited to the World Economic Forum’s first Virtual It’s the audacity of the youth, for me. All Ocean Dialogue, where we provided these achievements I have mentioned are perspectives on the youth’s involvement amazing, but they won’t mean a thing if and efforts to protect everything under ocean protection isn’t central to decisionthe ‘blue blanket,’ alongside heads of making. states and influential leaders and thinkers SO, WHAT’S THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING from across the globe. MARINE PROTECTION? - Y4MPAs also sat in on the Annual Biodiversity Research and Evidence It’s not “lack of marine protection”. The Indaba which was intended to support biggest issue is US – humans. At the heart the post 2020 Biodiversity Agenda, of every human is selfishness and greed.
25
It’s an innate trait. So, we gather every year at major events and conferences reiterating the need to protect our ocean for future generations – this doesn’t sit well with us, because we want to see the benefits now. We want to see how it will benefit us and our lives NOW- and if it doesn’t, we don’t want to hear about it. Instant gratification is a universal language. The state of our ocean is a reflection of the way we treat each other.
SO, HOW DO WE GET TO THE FINISH LINE? Our leaders need to stop stalling. They are more than capable of making effective decisions. COVID showed them that. The time for a reactive approach is over. We need to be proactive. There is no nice way of delivering bad news, so leaders need to deliver the message of ocean protection as bluntly as they delivered the news about COVID. Lack of ocean protection is a long-term pandemic with
far-reaching consequences. Every second breath we take comes from the ocean – our lives literally depend on it. There are people behind this youth movement. These people are part of the reason we got to 5% marine protection in SA. Their never-ending passion coupled with the continuous hard work of our scientists, civil society organisations and government, namely the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries led by Minister Barbara Creecy, is what got us to where we are. Our SA government also promised on a global stage, 10% marine protection by 2020. In the words of some of our Y4MPA members – Njabulo, Taahira, Lisa, Yanga, Siviwe, Merrissa, Armstrong and Nadine “our movement is still growing; it is a group of like-minded people with nature and love in our hearts. We want to be part of the decision-making for the future environment we will inhabit. We strive for marine protection while addressing the social issues we face. Change is possible and there is hope for a better and healthier future. We are inspired to do better and play an active role in advocating for our oceans. After all, it is said, that anything great that has ever been achieved has been achieved by the youth.” A homecoming is not achievable without people behind a movement, highlighting the importance of our ocean. This was a piece about a homecoming, one we don’t want the next generation to fight for. It’s one we need to win, so that it remains a life-giving force that we and our children enjoy. FIND. FOCUS. FINISH.
26
SECTION THREE
PAIN & JOY
AZUKA MUOH
DI OKPARA Azuka Muoh, (b.2000) is a Lagos-based Visual Artist. Through digital surrealism Azuka’s work serves as a commentary, questioning masculinity and the ripple effect of cultural oppression. By throwing light on individualism, Azu beckons to us to take a closer look at the intricacies of the human condition and see how chaos and beauty can lay side by side in traditional practices and stereotypes.
29
The title for the firstborn son in Igbo tradition, Di Okpara is a metaphor for the arrogant and oppressive nature of the misconstrued perception of masculinity in Africa, especially eastern Nigeria of which women, effeminate and homosexual men are victims. Azuka uses tyres to depict her subjects
clouded in the dominance of masculinity in an everyday manner. From Ndi Ahboyyoung boys in Igboland sent to learn a trade, to Mmechi Anya and Mama Lawyernorthern women whose very existence is often dependent upon men to Maazi-a proud member of the Umunna whose first son just opened a new shop in upper Iweka.
32
KGOSIETSILE “VINCERE” LEBURU
BAPTISED IN A SALON & FACE OF A MAN My name is Kgosietsile “Vincere” Leburu, a South African from Johannesburg. This piece consists of a short story and a poem looking at the theme of us people finding our place of comfort and peace (home), mentally and spiritually. Sometimes we believe that the surface needs to be sorted to find our way home but sometimes it’s something deeper. @vincefrom42
Baptised in a Salon Kissed by life when you wake up but, on this day, you’ve coloured your life in black & white, filled it with the thrill of feeling new at the end. You run your hands from your chest to your face, into your hair. On this day, your reflection shows a blank face, you’ve chosen to ignore your soft brown lips, perfectly scaled nose and your seductive eyes, concerned only about the spiritual warfare you’ve experienced on top of your hair. The rage, the fear, the discomfort...the pain Today this is your only concern. You rest yourself on the seat, allowing your exhaustion to be seen in the room. As the server runs her hand through your knots, she calls for assistance, as this is happening, you whisper a prayer you memorised. [Lay your hands on my head, Place one in front of my nose and let me rest in the water for a few seconds, Hopefully then I’ll be able to trust you. I’ll rest peacefully leaning onto you, You in the end will decide what to do with me. As every finger presses my scalp I sink more into your hands, Probably now I’ll trust you. I’ll scrabble words all over your palm, Search and circle the words which have already landed where you are. You’ll say, “let them watch, let them fall.” They picture us in one shade, never fading.] In the end, after all the suffering, you believe there’s colour again, you’re acknowledging your existence once again. You look in the mirror to see yourself, your whole self , but you still see your blank face from the morning.
34
The Face of a Man The face of a man Portrays a thousand hidden stories never told It shows all the man tries to hide in the dark As one looks up and struggles to count the stars, The same confusion is brought when trying to uncover who we are Placed in front of you are hidden archives of knowledge by all who’ve passed They scream ‘Take off your mask’ Every flaw is echoed in my head as the drops of water in a glass Pushed until I went mad, just to destroy the face of a man Forgotten but not gone, so every word needs to be feared like the guns drawn Where is my home? I’m acquainted with the cold, Didn’t notice my purity so you chose not to call me home.
35
BARRY YUSUF
KOLO Born in Nasarawa state, Barry Yusuf is a self-taught visual artist from the North-Central part of Nigeria. From a young age, Barry found art to be a medium to express his thoughts, emotions, ideals, ideas, concerns and passions. His medium ranges from charcoal to, coffee, paints, papier mache, collage, and graphite and everything in between to tell stories using model dramatisations. He refers to his art as “Kolo” art meaning madness in a sane way. Barry is also the leader of an art movement called “The Kolony”, a brotherhood of young contemporary Nigerian artists.
37
38
39
40
BELITA ANDRE
AFTER Belita Andre is a Johannesburg-based poet, copywriter and writing facilitator. The artist has performed at the Izimbongi and Basha Uhuru Freedom stage, for the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and collaborated with Mac Cosmetics and How Do I Look South Africa. Belita has contributed to Colour Me Melanin, an ethnic anthology of praise poems and tribal illustrations and offers Writing and performance workshops across Johannesburg. @belitaandre
After Why does a heart so pretty dress in black? I spit at my sadness and she spits right back. No one’s paying for a girl that talks like that. You forget yourself, when this country too has a lack. Why don’t you come home to your father’s land, where the wind is barren and the rainfall stands. Do all your friends dance like that? You did not leave home with breasts like that. The city turns your eyes into a disgusting plea; Please. Please. Take advantage of me. You run home, in search of your brothers. A tap is opened. Smoke pours out. You are not to be touched until you are cleansed. You are not to be touched… You are not to be touched until you are cleansed.
42
MALIKA JARDIEN
HABIBTI BEAUTY
I was born and raised in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, studied at Rhodes University in Makhanda, now I am “giving hope to Joanna�. My brand, Habibti Beauty, came from the joy that my own self-care journey brought me. Habibti is an Arabic term of endearment, meaning my love or my darling. This translates into the way that I would like the users of my products to treat and view their hair; with love and kindness. I chose to create these all-natural hair products to reflect sentiments of adoration onto the lens that we use to view our physical beauty. @_habibtibeauty @malika_jardien
back. Yet that was not enough to get my straightener to send in her resignation. We had both matriculated and headed off to university.
“Bushy”, “thick”, “too big” and “too much” have always been the main adjectives used to describe my hair growing up. The words always just rolled off my back until my grade 7 teacher pulled me aside to tell me that I had to tie my hair up. The school rule was, if your hair was long enough to touch your collar it needed to be tied up. My crown of curls sat just above my collar so the only way they were going to make it into a neat ponytail was if I straightened them. My crown had become a source of embarrassment for me. So, a 12-year-old Malika became acquainted with the mother’s hair iron. Everyday before school, she would make sure that her now silky and straight hair was slicked back into a neat little ponytail, this ritual continued until grade 12. I began to grow fond of my silky, straightened hair and even more so with the compliments that came with it. One Sunday night after a day at the beach I decided to give my straightener the night off. To the amazement of all my friends at school, my hair was curly. For the first time since I decided not to straighten my hair, I had my crown
I owe taking the first step of my ‘natural’ hair journey to my mother. The embodiment of confidence and elegance. She told me about several occasions in high school where eople would tell her that her hair was “too big”. She would simply reply with “Then don’t stand behind me.” She would always tell me that I am not other people, as a child that was quite frustrating to hear, but as I grew older, I realised that that she had a point. My natural hair journey began in 2017, I simply decided to stop straightening my hair. This came from watching a YouTube video on how to cut curly hair. Anyone with curly hair knows that if you cut your hair when it is straight/ wet the curls will come out uneven. From there I watched about 100 more videos on how I should be treating, styling, loving and generally taking care of my hair. Along the way, there were many products that had the desired effect, but even more that did not, but I seemed to get great results because, people would ask me, dm me and even stop me in the street for advice. So, I started an Instagram page where I would post videos of me reviewing and trying new products for my new audience. The combination of my new crown and compliments from my friends, gave me a new sense of confidence and for the first time in a while I felt like I was beautiful on my own terms.
44
In August of 2020, I had been in Johannesburg for a month and my hair started to become dry and frizzy. None of my usual products were working, I decided to experiment with making my own, with the ingredients that I knew worked best for my hair. By the beginning of October, I had made a shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in conditioner. Ingredients include African black soap, mango butter and shea butter. I started to use these products exclusively and, the results were greater than I could have ever imagined. Sharing my products is like sharing a part of my journey. The part of my journey where I found love not only in my hair, but in the manner in which I took care of it. Curlier hair textures are sometimes dry, tangled, rough, coarse and extremely difficult to deal with, but ultimately the best way to care for them is to be gentle and soft. When Queen Bee said that pretty hurts, we all felt that. I think that is because we associate attaining beauty with pain, waxing, lifting, squatting, plucking, detangling and all the other acts of ‘beautification’ that make us flinch.
Loving one’s natural hair texture is more often than not a tough road especially amongst people of colour. The paradoxes within beauty standards make it almost impossible to attain a place where I felt like I was confident. As cliché as it sounds, rejecting prescribed standards of beauty and owning your own is truly a liberating experience. One that I wish that I could describe to 12-year-old Malika, although I am proud of the progress that she has made and the space that she is in today. I suppose the reason we refer to it as returning to our natural hair as a journey is, because we have to unlearn what beauty and confidence is considered to be and relearn what our own beauty and confidence are. It is a journey paved with self-doubt and littered with hurtful comments. Home is the sense of belonging, comfort and peace, having that in relation to myself and within my own hair has been one of the greatest homecomings.
A lot of the time we forget how much our bodies carry us through as well as how much they do for us. Treating your body and mind gently and expressing gratitude and appreciation to them, in my opinion creates a healthier and more loving relationship with one’s temple.
45
NADINE WILSON & KABATILA KAVAT
WELCOME HOME, MY LOVE
SPRING / SUMMER
ISSUE EIGHT