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A mix of distinctive east and southern African voices dynamically express and explore the complexities of migration through the vivid language of poetry and performance
UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts was present a provocative line-up of poetry and film at this year’s World Social Forum. . The CCA, which seeks to vitalise thesocial struggles facing the world today via cultural representation, forms part of Moving People: Africa-Asia Interface on Migration, Exile, and Diaspora, an inter-organisational collaborative five-day event that encompasses art exhibitions, panel discussions, poetry performances, film screenings, music and theatre performances.
The poetry component is a satellite project hosted by Poetry Africa, which last year celebrated its 10 th year. Participating poets include Dennis Brutus (South Africa), Chiwoniso (Zimbabwe), Susan Kiguli (Uganda), Lebogang Mashile (South Africa), Bantu Mwuara (Kenya), Pitika Ntuli (South Africa), and Shailja Patel (Kenya). Entitled Poetic Perspectives on Migration, the poetry performances offer a powerful experiential dimension, as a mix of distinctive east and southern African voices dynamically express and explore the complexities of migration through the vivid language of poetry and performance.
The Durban International Film Festival also has a notable presence at the WSF with a selection that includes three films that won awards at the 27 th edition of DIFF: the Best South African feature film, Conversations on a Sunday Afternoon; Best Documentary, Workingman’s Death; and Best South African documentary Angola Saudades - From the One Who Loves You; as well as the highly topical South African documentary Bushman’s Secret. These films, though varying in focus and method, all speak of a humanity on the move.
People migrate due to economic forces, either fleeing poverty or moving towards a perceived better life and Conversations... adds perspective to these debates. People also fill vacuums left through the aftermath of war, as in Angola Saudades ..., and those, as in Bushman’s Secret and Workingman’s Death, left by the ravages of capitalist exploitation. The films articulate degradation and desperation, yet through intimate focus and abstract metaphor, leverage understanding, mobilize renewal and redress, and seed hope of a different future.
Partners for this initiative include @Culture, India (a network of Majlis, Magic Lantern Foundation, Point of View and independent artists); Focus on Global South; Go-Down Arts Centre and Kwani?, Nairobi; Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal; and HIVOS.
