Culture shock
Wandile Molebatasi reveals behind-the-scenes secrets from coming-of-age culture-themed drama iKani.
iKani Season 1 Sundays SABC1 (*191) 19:30
From the chosen language to the set design and even the soundtrack, iKani (2018- current) captures the isiNdebele culture from every angle. “The idea of having Ndebele artwork in the background while telling a story stood out for our team. Not only do the colours pull you in, they tell stories of their own,” says producer Wandile Molebatsi, who also appears in the drama series as Vince. Viewers have joined aspiring artist Khanya’s (Thandeka Mdeliswa) journey to self- discovery after she learnt that her late father was Ndebele while she had been raised as Zulu. “She has been bullied about her identity for a while,” explains Wandile. “She wants answers for who she really is and she delves into this world that she doesn’t know in the fictional town on iKani.”
ON THE BALL
Because iKani is the first ever isiNdebele-themed show in the country, the producers wanted to ace every detail. “We contacted the official Ndebele radio station iKwekwezi FM [in Pretoria] and requested a cultural consultant who would join our team and help with the writers, making sure that what they are creating is authentic.” Wandile adds that they hosted workshops where the cast and crew fine-tuned everything before filming started. “We read the scripts and checked everything from the props to the wardrobe to make sure that we kept it true and real.” While finding a consultant was easy, the trick was casting fluent-speaking Ndebele actors. “We had weeks of auditions. We launched a talent search on TV, radio stations and even social media,” says Wandile. “Video auditions came flooding in weeks later and we’re glad that we found a cast that represent the essence of our story.”
LIVE & LEARN
Being on set was a learning curve for Wandile. “The elderly Ndebele women have a sense of pride for their culture,” says the producer. “They dressed up in their traditional attire for no reason other than to preserve and celebrate their culture. They taught us about the meaning behind colours used in their beadwork. It isn’t just about looking pretty. It’s about using what you are wearing to communicate something, be it a birth or rite of passage. Colour and texture in isiNdebele culture always represent something”.