Young.Fun.Free
Youth
Issue 04
A modern definition for how we as young people define heritage and culture.
EDITOR’S LETTER Heritage month in our country is the cornerstone for which we anchor our appreciation and respect, not only for our deepseated roots but also for the diversity and cultural wealth that our country embodies. Indeed, our South African heritage does not only invoke national pride, but it brings about cohesiveness and unity in the fact that though we may be different, we are a rainbow nation that takes pride in all of our origins.
We celebrate Heritage Day as a reminder of the importance of the preservation of our roots and a reminder to reflect on the values, traditions and beliefs that are passed down to us by our forebearers. These values and beliefs are often the foundation of our character and identity and indeed hold essence in who we are today.
In this month’s edition, we take a moment to not only celebrate this wealth in heritage and culture that we experience in our country today, but we will also explore the concept of what culture or rather Kulture means to young people today.
The 21st century has not only redefined the way that we do things, but it has also brought about a modern definition for how we as young people define heritage and culture. There has been a significant progression and shift in this very domain to an extent that young people today are building a new Kulture and way of life to pass down to the next generation. What will the results of this revolution in culture be? I believe that only we as young people can decide what it entails and if it will be of benefit. My only hope is that you will find profound inspiration and knowledge within the pages of our publication to make an effective decision. - Zanele Mangena
Contents 6
Entertainment 11 Exhibition 20 Heritage 22 Sub-Kultures in fashion 26 Cover photo series 33 Afro-Futurism 35 Too Cool For Kulture
37 Interview 40
Reflection Corner
52 Y-Gen 54 Youth Kulture
58 Contact us
Entertainment
Sanibonani, Dumelang, Absheni, Molweni and Goeie More !!! heritage month has come and gone but that will not stop us from embracing our cultures and traditions. Nowhere in the entire universe will you find such an authentic country rich in diversity and originality. We recap on some of the most memorable topics that took place in the month of September and we keep you in the know on current topics that took place for the month of October.
Source: Zalebs
On To The Next Beat Smirnoff SA has just launched a music series called On To The Next Beat in the form of an EP. The 3-track EP brings together artists who under normal circumstances wouldn't collaborate because their music genres and sounds are so different.
The first artists to collaborate were Ami Faku and Wichi 1080. Ami's soulful sounds and Wichi's Hip Hop beat merge perfectly together to produce a beautiful love song called Sondela which Ami described as a love story. “It is when you meet someone and let stuff go and you are just in it for what it is, and you enjoy it.�
To check this out, go onto YouTube for the behind the scenes video of these two making amazing music.
Source: The Citizen
Ntsiki Mazwai is angry …again Although controversial poet and musician Ntsiki Mazwai is always upset about one thing or another, she was particularly upset about Mzansi Magic’s latest show, Izangoma Zodumo, which premiered not so long ago. Ntsiki posted a video slamming the whole cast of the series as well as the producers, saying they blatantly disrespect African culture.
"Izangoma Zodumo" is all about the lives of two traditional healers, Prudence “Ngwe” Magagula and Makgotso “Gogo Maweni” Makopo. This show gains viewers access to the lives of these women who are both gobela's (traditional healers and initiators.)
Ntsiki then went on to say "I want to find out who the producers of the show are, and we must name and shame so that they may never think of creating content that embarrasses us like this … I’m so ashamed and so embarrassed of being black this morning because black (people) hate themselves so much that they would embarrass themselves and ridicule their spirituality."
Source: Zalebs
Xhosa rapper, Ifani is back to shade AKA We can officially say that AKA and Ifani's beef is picking up from where it left off, as the Xhosa rapper has decided to shade AKA once more. A few weeks ago, Ifani decided to take a dig at AKA on Twitter, by telling him that he has resurrected from the dead and that he is back to disappoint him yet again. The beef between the two rappers started back when AKA shaded Ifani's album, saying it reached gold status because Redds bought 2000 copies. The two exchanged some lit tweets dissing each other, and in an interview, AKA described iFani as a "Rubbish artist". In response to the shade that AKA dished out many years ago, Ifani took a jab at AKA and said he is back to disappoint him, again. He said "When I left the game, I disappointed people...my people. Now I'm back to disappoint the people I left in the game. Your people...No, I'm lying, ONE people: Super Mega," he tweeted. Ifani is not shying away from the truth that seems to haunt him. He sat down with Slikour and discussed how his decision to quit rap had negatively affected him and those around him, even his two-baby mama’s. So, it’s a good thing his back in the game
Source: Zalebs
Khanyi Mbau’s Interview with Pearl on Behind The Story. Behind The Story had people shook as Khanyi addressed the many controversies that surrounded her life from dating an older man, him impregnating her, the loss of her father, her nudes being leaked and lastly, her skin lightening. Khanyi Mbau told it all in the two part series when she talked about her rocky relationship with her father and how the love between them was absent, which lead to her finding it at the hands of another older man, Mandla Mthembu who became abusive in the end. Then moving right along to her relationship with Tebogo Lerole, where the couple had been together for about 10 years before breaking up, only to get back together again. Khanyi said she never really saw a future with him and the fact that they never had a child proved that. Mbau then revealed how one of her ex-lovers sabotaged her big career move in the past by leaking her nudes which landed her in hot water, resulting in her being fired from Real Goboza. This made way for Pearl Thusi who was next in line for the show, resulting in her big break into the industry.
@AfricanBujwa
African Bujwa - A black boy who has learnt to love every aspect of his blackness
My name is Omphile and I go by the name African Bujwa.
I was born and raised in Krugersdorp, Kagiso - a township in the West of Johannesburg. I am a beautiful, black Afro-Contemporary creative. My creativity branches into different categories as I am a stylist, a model, a creative director, a conceptualizer and a location spotter.
I love telling stories through visuals. I draw inspiration from the elements that have formed “African Bujwa", where I am from and who I am. I am deeply rooted in the Kultures I grew up around and I have always been captivated by how strong and diverse our nation’s cultures are.
Culture is defined as "the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular people or society", but my Kulture was formed by the township, a big medley of cultures, ways and languages. So, can I really box something so great into a little definition?
It means so much more than that. African Bujwa - A black boy who has learnt to love every aspect of his blackness, a boy who has been drawn to our stories as a people and wants to retell them through his art and a boy who feeds off the richness of our cultures, adapting it in design and fashion. I was born into the South Saharan, Basotho tribe, raised by my grandparents as per the ways and traditions of the Sotho people. I later moved in with my mother and stepfather who pushed me to adapt to Tswana and Xhosa ways and traditions. Growing up in the Johannesburg school system also exposed me to so many people with diverse backgrounds, which taught me a lot about their cultures and where they came from. My grandfather would also travel often and come back with rich stories about his journey and the beautiful cultures of African people; his photographs inspired me visually and gave me the perfect Afrocentric eye.
As a result of my upbringing, I feel as if I am able to connect with the diverse people of Africa, ultimately connecting to myself.
I was reared by the hands of strong African men and women and raised by the streets, I am their love child " African Bujwa" and I will tell their stories and carry their legacy until my last breath.
Heritage Heritage month is an important one in the lives of South Africans as it is dedicated to celebrating everything that our flag represents which is diversity. Celebrated on the 24th of September Heritage Day recognizes the cultural and traditional differences that we have from the languages we speak to the different foods we eat in our population. On this day, South Africans from across the border represent their cultural backgrounds by dressing up in their traditional attire, listening to their own traditional music and of course eating their traditional cuisines. This year was no different, just much better as South Africans came out to play. Social media platforms such as Instagram and twitter were flooded with traditional attire worn by basically everyone, different foods where showcased and people were culturally inclined on the day.
One thing that stood out was how people were calling out their clan names which was interesting to see because so many young people actually know a bit more about their roots then most people think. The youth of today is most definitely woke in every aspect.
Even though this year’s Heritage Day had a few sentiments from other ones in previous years, there was something slightly distinct. Culture this year was not defined in the traditional sense only but also by new traditions that are created in communities. For instance, instead of recognition being placed only on traditional songs such as Maskandi, Amapiano formed part of the playlist, Ikota was seen in the menu and Tsotsi taal was recognized as a language. All these aspects form a part of our Kultures. This should most definitely continue even in the upcoming years as culture is not always constant but instead created by the people of that era and time.
Images: Maxhosa & Afropunk
https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/south-africa/heritagedayhttps://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/south-africa/heritage-day
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With the many traditional forms of culture in our country lies subcultures. They are norms and values distinct from those of the majority and are held by a group within a wider society. So, no matter how tiny we may say the world is, within every large group is a smaller group of people taking personal style to the next level. We look at some of these Sub-Kultures driving the fashion industry today.
Image: Pinterest
Pantsula A dance style that has been thriving for the longest time in the townships of Johannesburg. Pantsula is more than just body movement, it is fashion, a lifestyle, Kulture. This Kulture was formed by non-white man in the 1950s and 60’s when the townships of Johannesburg were racially segregated. Pantsula was a form of humanhood and self-worth in a traumatic time which helped contribute to a sense of black identity. Workwear is a representation of this Kulture in the form of Dickies pants and kitchen suits worn by domestic workers. The adoption of workwear into the Pantsula Kulture was a representation of reclaiming a sense of black power and pride. Converse All Stars is entwined within the fashion fabric of this culture.
Image: WTYWSA
Skate Kulture You probably see members of this Kulture cruising the streets of Jozi with their awesome tricks and SB kicks. this culture is made up of skaters all over SA and beyond. Key items warn by the skate Kulture include sneakers and baggy clothing to provide them with enough movement when trying to stick the perfect landing on the ramp.
Image: Nasty C
Street Kulture Inspired by your favourite rappers, favourite rapper. Street Kulture has been growing among young people for a couple of years now due to rap and trap music. This Kulture was not only born out of brands wanting to align themselves with artist who were making waves in the music industry but out of rappers creating and spearheading their own fashion labels. Examples of items warn by this Kulture include items from brands like Yeezy, Daily Paper and DEAD.
Image: akhonantsumelyl
Thrift Kulture The shift to affordable fashion. Thrift Kulture was born out of the need for not only affordable fashion but the need to claim individualism by purchasing one-off-one pieces that cannot be copied by anyone else. It is a form of expressing creativity through vintage clothing items that might be old to someone else but brand new to you.
Image: tamaramoeng
Image: leago_scars
Non-binary The existence of non-binary identities in fashion is a rejection of the assumption that certain clothing items are only meant for females or for males. Non-binary fashion is a representation of individuals being free to wear whatever it is that they chose to wear without being limited for choice or boxed into certain categories.
Image: lebo_phoenix
Punk Good punks gone bad edition. This sub-Kulture is mostly influenced by heavy metal and rock music with artist wearing chains, leather, platform boots, leather, all black everything (most of the time) and more leatherrrr.
“I have often thought I have lost my mind. I don’t disagree because in reality, I have lost it and thank god it is in the world of Art and Fashion.”- Grace ML
An Afrocentric Africa through the eyes of Grace ML
I don’t care for anything except my work. It is me and I am it.
For this month’s issue, the shoot was focused on the future of Africa. How do we envision it through Afrocentric eyes? The Africa I want to see- if through the lens of the art industry. I want to see more African prints, details and cloths being taken from the culture of modern standards. I wanted to showcase black space, black love and mostly the future of Africa the way I imagine it to be. The little packages we tend to judge about Africa needs to be modelled into dynamites. We need to understand that an African farmer’s uniform can be channelled in the runways only if we look at the beauty of it. We are the beholders of Africa, it is ours. Even with the location, I wanted to look at space we want to engage in, classic, cultural, modern and African. We are not living in jungles; running in bushes or hiding under rocks. We carefully craft our spaces to suit us and our needs. Africa is reclaiming its power, and this is just the beginning of the revolution.
The Kultural Aesthetic Afro-Futurism is the celebration of the black experience into the future. It is the celebration of the richness and diversity of cultures within the African diaspora and the many possibilities for black lives. It is the reclaiming of black identity through art, technology, cultural aesthetic, science fiction, political resistance, historical fiction, fantasy, and even through magical realism like abo zangoma.
An example of a glimpse into Afro-futurism come to life, would be the Marvel Universe’s Wakanda, an African country rich in technology, with its amazing Afro-futuristic fashion and traditional mixed contemporary art. Wakanda also managers to revive visions of black excellence, black royalty, success and power.
A key aspect of the shift into Afro-futurism is techno-culture as it is a cultural instrument through which we redefine culture while building the future of Africa. Afro-futurism is a juxtaposition of the reflection of the past and the vision of the future in which African culture thrives without the need to hide behind western culture.
The question is, how do we facilitate the shift into futuristic Africa when all we ever see is imagery of poverty, hunger, corruption, brutality, lack of necessary resources and a snail- passed development of technology in our rural areas?
It can be hard to imagine a wealthy Africa in a present that is infested with so many negatives against this shift. However Afro-futurism is a chance to revolutionise Africa. It is a chance to celebrate an Africa where black creativity is fascinating and wonderful, where black love is pure, where Ubuntu thrives and where anything is possible for the African child because in this Africa, a Kulture of greatness is born.
KULTURE
“Modernism” is such an exciting term especially for the youth. Seeing how much expression has been put forth to signify the differences in perception, has only led to more individuals seeking their own anomalous definition of culture especially with the broad range of information provided to us by the greatest authors of all times, artists, journalists all the way to photographers. This has influenced a lot of avant-garde (which refers to experimental work, particularly with respect to politics, art and culture).
Modern culture has seemingly gained popularity in terms of how much engagement it has made with almost every individual, taking up old customs and tuning them to fit into our modern beliefs. After all, as rooted as we are, we should also move towards evolving until we get to the point where culture fits individuals it never catered to before. …but what cost comes with evolution if not forgetting our roots?
Taking a look at mainstream content, it seems as though the western culture has overtaken how we as Africans connect and as a result, being rooted seems like sticking to the ancient times.
Like how does one claim to be from places like Soweto yet when their turn comes, all they recall about it is the slang, forgetting how there are still local schools practicing Gumboot, traditional dances and even handmade musical instruments? What happened to supporting these because in future, the places we come from will only be pasts we do not want to embrace. It might not be of everyone’s interest, but I am pretty sure that there are a lot of people who find such pioneers inspiring. Of course, modern culture is the future but with it comes a greater responsibility, a memory box of our ancestors who made us all that we are, who are the reason why there is something to modernize. May we know the difference between modern culture and westernized culture.
INTERVIEW
- A term commonly used to describe young men in the townships without a job. Otherwise known as the Lost Boys.
Abolova An art collective from Soweto, drawing their inspiration from Abo Lova, the lost boys without a story. They are a representation of the untold stories of the unemployed black youth in South Africa. They represent the guy from the corner store, the guy from back home, the drifter, the broke boy, the guy who must “make a plan” and mostly, the lost boys without stories. Abolova’s style rejects all traditional practices in photography by embracing grainy textures, harsh lighting and unconventional colour grading. They represent township style. they are optimist, they are hope and they are breaking the mould.
We got to chat to 3/6 member of the collective and this is what they had to say.
Please introduce the crew and what each member’s role is in Abolova. Zen: I’m Zen and I’m the creative director of Naba Abolova. I direct the whole creative vision, how we move about and how we make things happen.
Mbuso: Mbuso aka Captain Lova. I am the editor of Abolova. Jomo: I’m Jomo and I’m the director of our photoshoots and the stylist. Zen: Other members of the crew include Mpilo, Fana and Sesh. Sesh is our resident pretty boy. Mpilo is our assistant director, he managers what’s happening around the shoot and the equipment while Fana is the manager who handles things like who we are supposed to shoot with, where we going, how we getting their and our finances.
The name, what was the inspiration behind the name? how did that happen?
Zen: The name, well the name is us. We can’t really say that it was inspired by a particular thing. It’s our daily lives and ultimately who we are. We are Abo lova, way before we even started the brand, we called ourselves Abolova. We first started out with a brand named Lovarism but that didn’t really catch on that quick, I mean it was great but I think Abolova was a great switch because it felt more organic and it represents who we are. There is noting that we can say we drew it from besides from reality.
In a sense would you say that, that also presents a South African narrative? that the name is also one of the many stories making up the fabric of SA? Mbuso: Yes, it represents the very fabric of the South African townships. There is hardly any township that does not know what ulova is, especially if it is like a bantu dominated township. Everyone knows what that word means, making it easy for people to point out who that may be in their neighbourhoods. It’s that simple, it’s like the Kasi life, without even trying too hard. We are who we are and it’s not even a concept, instead It’s the thing that makes us move forward.
They say pictures normally tell a story. What story are you guys telling? Why and whose attention are you trying to grab with your story? How would you describe your aesthetic? Jomo: Our style comes from us considering what our township looks like right now, you get me? If you look at it, it’s not the same as it was before. Before when you would look at ulova, you’d see someone who is “no good”, someone who is dirty, someone who doesn’t work. But now when you look at it, that’s the style now, to be a lova. In the end we trying to represent the beauty of Abolova. We want to showcase that you can be ulova but you can still use your talents to produce greatness. We are inspired by Soweto and the way Abolova make their moves by hustling. We are also inspired by the way things change. The way things are not the same as before where lova’s go back to the corner because Abolova are actually doing something now. That is the aesthetic at its core. Trying to show how things are like, through everything that we do. Through the angels that we shoot, through the colour grading and even through the venues we choose for our projects. That is our aesthetic, elements that represent our township. We don’t try to hyper glamourise it, we just want people to be super proud of who they are as ulova and where they come from and realise that it is as good as being in Sandton.
Mbuso: The story that we are trying to tell people is based on how beautiful our township is. That is why we chose places that the community would label as designated lova spots. We want to tell people that Abolova are capable of doing something other than just sitting on the corner. We want to give people the impression that ulova is not as bad as people thought it was before, that ulova is not always someone who is causing trouble. The story we trying to tell people is we can change, and we can change people’s perception of what and who Abolova are. We trying to show the beautiful side of Abolova and even show other lova’s that they are just as capable of producing greatness in our township. That is the people whose attention we trying to grab. We’ve turned sitting on the corner into something that is cool now because of the work we produce while on the corner. So, our aim is to elevate township entertainment and eventually have things like galleries in the townships. Making the township a place where you would like to hang out, because at the end of the day, that is where we live on a daily. Giving the beautiful black child a sense of pride within themselves, who they are and where they come from. That is the point of what we do.
“The Lost Boys without a story”
What are the highlights in your career and journey thus far? Zen: Since we started Abolova, we have met so many up and coming artist who we had the opportunity to work with. A highlight for us is meeting people who genuinely love and appreciate our content. It makes us feel good to know that the people we look up to, look up to us as well. In terms of projects, the biggest thing that we’ve done so far is being featured in the Woke gallery and we also had to opportunity to design the
Thesis Lifestyle website, that was a major highlight for us and a proud moment. As for the journey, our journey continues because there is a lot more to do. Individually, what does the word Kulture mean to you? Jomo: It is something you grew up with. Something you learned from home. It is the way you were taught to do things. In simple words, it is a trend, the trend in your household, the trend in your neighbourhood, the
trend in your community.
Zen: It is the characteristics of who
you are or what your family is or whatever movement you are behind because at the end of the day, everyone has their own set of characteristics and individuality. So,
Mbuso: It’s something that you need to stay true too. It is something that you inherit, either from your home
or from the streets. It is a movement pushed by a mass of people. A movement that you think has the possibility to make a difference somewhere, somehow.
In a way your Kulture helps you identify who you are, the same way we are pushing the lova Kulture, which helped us discover how to be editors and directors and how to become great at those things. Kulture is where you find yourself, your gifts and your abilities.
with that space, Kulture is what you classify those types of things as, like style, music, the way you speak and your traditions. That is Kulture to me.
“It’s not bad photography, it’s just not what you used to”
What advice would you give to an aspiring
Where to from here? What are some
photographer who might not have the support
of the goals that you guys hope to
of family members and friends but still wants to
achieve very soon or in the future?
pursue photography?
Mbuso: Our goal is to work with other
Mbuso: Advice we would give the person is to not
up and coming brands and artist in the
give up and to always try to do something
township. The dream is to change the
different. Don’t try to copy someone else’s style
outlook that people have of the
of photography, instead find yourself first and
township to something positive. We
identify what you like and what inspires you
want to build something that other
because the things that inspire you are the things
young kids from the township can get
that will help you produce the kind of work that
into and even continue. We want to let
you are satisfied with. We are inspired by things
people know that you can use your
like the township, the music we listen to, the
environment to your advantage.
township demographics and so on, so you have to
Zen: Go international to the point
find inspiration in order for you to find yourself
where the word Lova would replace
and produce work that represents you. You can
the word nigger in people’s vocabulary
always use other people’s work as an example of
so that everyone around the world
what you would like to do but find your own
knows what lova is. That is the
style. Also believe in yourself and the little things
ultimate goal. Also to travel the world
that you do because those little things might end
and have photoshoots with major
up blowing up one day.
brands like Versace and Gucci and give them the Kasi element that only we
Jomo: If you have a camera, take pictures of anything and everything, even shoes. That’s how you grow, practice.
can provide because if you look at it, in an international space, we have a particular niche that no one else has. So, we want to make it big. We don’t
Zen: Believe in yourself because at the end of the day, it’s about you regardless of who supports you. Don’t do it because of other people but do it because you believe in it and you truly love it and you know the purpose behind it and the goals you want to achieve. it because it makes you feel good.
only aim to push the narrative among South Africans but to push the narrative of ulova around the world while showing everyone around the world what ulova is capable of.
To check out more work from this collective, find them on Instagram @naba_abolova
Reflection Corner
Kulture FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED TO WEAR MY HERITAGE PROUDLY IT IS THE ESSENCE OF MY BEING. THE STARTING POINT OF THE STORY OF ME... ŠthebeadLab
Cultural heritage is defined as a way of living that is passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, objects and values. In essence, it defines the way in which our ancestors have lived and how they have adapted certain traditions to embody an identity as a particular demographic or family.
While we still celebrate the concept of cultural heritage in our country on an annual basis, the modern trends we experience in today's age have brought with it an essential question: Is the concept of heritage and culture still relevant in our society today? Are those cultural practices, traditions and values that were practised by our ancestors still relevant and embraced in this age?
My journey into finding the answer to these questions, led me on a path to reflect on what heritage means to many individuals today and how the concept of heritage has been adapted over the years to suit the context of a particular generation. Bearing the perspective of some individuals in mind, I have come to learn about the ideology that cultural heritage is a concept of identity more than that of the practices themselves. The ways of living that are passed on from one generation to the next serve more to shape the identity and viewpoint of the people in a particular demographic. According to this ideology, the absence or the loss of these traditions have been said to cause a loss of identity as identity is established in the roots of the family and culture. This ideology says that identity is engraved in the history of our ancestors and that it is only when we know where we come from that we begin to understand ourselves and where we are going. In this context the idea of heritage serves more to help define the essence of an individual in how it serves the purpose to give a backstory and an understanding of who we are as individuals.
In the very same way that some individuals have come to accept heritage as a means to define them, heritage has been viewed by others as a set of rules and practices that often have become outdated with the progression of time. For example, some cultural practices have been passed down where the roles of men and women are still rigid. Where women are only allowed to take on the role of a homemaker and the men the role of a provider. While this setup could have been useful in the generations that have passed, the times we live in today have allowed men and women to choose who they want to be and the roles they would like to embody. The shift in the way culture has been viewed has given some individuals the freedom to be who they are in roles where they were once suppressed by cultural beliefs.
It is certain that while culture has helped others preserve their roots, some cultural practices have kept people in places of suppression where the concept of transformation and development are neglected. While it is true that the generation we live in sees the concept of heritage in a much lesser light than that of the generations before, cultural heritage should indeed be adapted and defined by the era in which it is practised without losing its essence. Perhaps our cultural practices need to be more transformative and liberating for all people involved so that they do not die out but can be transferred to the proceeding generations with pride. Perhaps our cultures should include values and customs that are passed down to help those in the future live a life that is richer and more meaningful and perhaps our heritage should not be defined by a rigid set of rules and practices, but rather a holistic view that aims to develop and foster growth for the next generation. In whatever context we may view the topic of culture and heritage, I hope that this allows us to reflect on the idea of what heritage and culture mean to us and what we hope to pass on to the next generation.
Kulture of curiosity Welcome to the 21st century, where young people stand up loud and proud for their rights, where we have an answer for every question and a question for every answer. Questions I’ve been asking myself that no person has ever been able to give me a valid, non-witchcraft related answer to is… Why should we not cut our nails at night? Why not shave your head at midnight? why not stand in-between the door? Why, why, why…
One topic I always argue about with my mom is the 21 st century Kulture, or so she calls it.
She would tell me that we have so much questions for every little thing and she would ask why it is that we feel the need to question everything. Well can we have a conversation? Can we speak about the fact that the
generations between us accepted everything that came their way? They hardly questioned anything that came from their elders, even things that don’t really make any sense.
Till this day my mom refuses to by salt from the store at night because she believes its bad luck.
I decided to look up the meaning of superstition because I believe that, that was the centre of the old Kulture and this is what I found on Wikipedia, “A superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown and trust in magic”.
When I read this, it made total sense to me because in my mind whoever created the old Kulture was somehow trying to dictate whoever it was that was living at that time , limiting their believe system and everything around them.
I truly hope that I am speaking on behalf of the youth when I say that the old has gone and the new has come. Yes we still believe in our culture, still grounded in our roots and we still believe that in some sense, the superstitions passed down from generation to generation was all out of love and the need to protect but we will not live our lives in fear because we pride ourselves on being an evolving, curious and outspoken youth who are creating
our own paths, ways and Kulture’s. The new Kulture, the youth Kulture. The Kulture free of discrimination, with the freedom of being anyone you chose to be.
The curious Kulture, questioning every aspect of our lives, the Kulture full of innovators, creators and master minds. Paving ways to greatness.
As I close off, I really do want you to think about this, why do guys have to take off their hats inside the house but it’s okay for them to wear it in the mall? Is it because of respect? And if so, respect to who exactly when no one is home? And why do people
believe that if your surname is not the same as your fathers, you doomed to have a miserable life? I believe that some people are suffering out there because of that type of thinking
which in some ways traps you into a tiny box. I personally prefer being free and I like our why generation. Hello new Kulture.
Youth Kulture
The term Youth Kulture refers to the way young people conduct their lives. Youth Kulture can pertain to interests, styles, behaviours, music, beliefs, vocabulary, clothes, sports and dating. The concepts behind youth kulture is that adolescents are a sub-kulture with norms, customs, behaviours and values that differ from the main kulture
4 Types of Youth Kulture
1. Personal Appearance Personal appearance is one of the most visible indicators of teen kulture. Looking at how young people dress and groom themselves. The 21st century youth seem to have a “less is more mindset�, focusing on low maintenance hairstyles and minimal makeup, if any. Fashion tends to be casual with the modern youth.
3. Challenging Norms For the youth, environmental responsibility is a major Emphasis; many young people commit to minimizing their environmental impact and speak out to encourage others to do so.
2. Entertainment Preferences Modern youth tend to connect with peers digitally by spending hours interacting with friends via social media platforms, whereas previous generations spent hours talking on the phone. Video games have become important as well, as the youth of today often spend hours playing online games, forming bonds with gamers that they get to meet in the virtual world.
4. Fitting in With Peers
Being a part of a community of like-minded individuals who you are able to connect to.
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@Young.Fun.Free YOUTH
@young.fun.free Young.fun.freeyouth @gmail.com
Youth Magazine Contributors Gloria Godwin Akhona Ntsume Lerato Kgasago
Zanele Mangena Mbali Mcunu Katlego Maphoso
Cover & Imagery Creative Director & Words: Grace ML Photographer: Calvin Tshireletso Stylist: Thato Cry Bokote Model: Umtrenko Model: Nomvula Location: Urban Zulu Backpackers, Marshalltown
Exhibition & Interview Omphile Cassie Naba Abolova