It’s time to let the oceans of arts in Khayelitsha touch our hearts and souls

OK, let’s agree, Cape Town is beautiful. Self-praise is no recommendation but this is not self-praise. It is general knowledge that there is no place on mighty earth that allows for two oceans to caress like the Indian and Atlantic at Cape Point or whatever they call that place where this giant thing in geology happens.

When I first saw this happening, she kissed me and I kissed her too. Later, she told me that she kissed me because the two mighty oceans were caressing each other. I said that it is good to listen to the charms of nature.

And then, between me and you, Table Mountain, is not only majestic in size but she has an air that calls you back to her charm every day.

They say human nature is unable to resist this charm. Me too, I cannot. In my journalism, I can narrate that the beauty of the mountain has always been a challenge to my discipline in the art of writing. When she calls you, it is difficult to resist her tender whisper to come to her and view the charm in the kissing of the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Mind, it happens nowhere but in Cape Town. In other words, the world has no place like this city.

The world also does not have snoek. Even Khayelitsha has snoek. By the way, why does our culinary culture in this city avoid the delicious glamour of this fish?

Am I just being ultra-sensitive to make a suspicious note that snoek, only available here, is extremely downplayed and I do not know why. Even Durban imports snoek from Cape Town.

Is it fair to suspect that there is something amiss in the marketing of this humble fish. Rumour has it that Jan van Riebeeck only entertained nicely with snoek on the menu. Call it fishy but I believe it.

That aside, Khayelitsha, as part of Cape Town in a modern new democratic South Africa, is second in size only to Soweto, but does not even have the glamour that goes with possessing the magnet of Monwabisi beach. Why?

I am suggesting a rethink on the marketing of this place.

Many of the mid and north Africans residing in Khayelitsha have confessed their love for the geography of this massive township.

However, I know that they avoid commenting on the dearth of the sociology of this apartheid construction.

There are no jazz clubs. There are no social cultural spaces to exhibit our arts. I am asking why and suggest that we do something about this dearth in the sociology of this space.

It is generally known that people who live in this township are able to sing and engage the cultural forms of dance or the visual arts but seem stagnant in a deep expression of this depth.

True this discourse will make mention of the criminal element but is the criminal element not a child born from the absence of a cultural and or artistic essence?

My suggestion is that we engage spaces such as Monwabisi beach with a tight entertainment agenda that can exhibit the artistic communities of this township.

I, as an artist, know the existence of the artistic soul in this township , but why it is not exhibited is a big mystery.

It is the impetus of artistic endeavour in local government that seems to be amiss.

Let us make it work! I am pleading that provincial structures hear our songs.

I am begging that they lend an ear to the tender sensitivities in our poems.

Maybe then they will remember to dance to the many rhythms that are offered by this thing called life.

Does it not make you happy to walk past a cultural expression that celebrates this humble thing called life?

It is to my mind that spaces like this have been created for us to celebrate that moment called life. It is therefore imperative that each and every second of our joy be appreciated by the deep humility of inner soul.

We must not try to do it. We must do it!

It is vital that we view this as a beautiful assignment beckoning us.

Honestly, I am not afraid of doing that. I know that the project is more than finished once it gets started.

It is not a political moment that I am screaming for, however, a joyous understanding that we are part of a big-hearted nation.

It is also common knowledge that we are all involved not because we are tasked but rather invited by the magnificent tenderness of the soft moment in the charming Cape.

So let’s go for it!