City needs to get up and dance
BETWEEN me and you, last week’s mugging might have been a reminder that we do not live in a perfect world. If it was such a reminder – the point taken. Let’s move forward.
Moving forward means a proper take on Madiba Month.
Okay, at the beginning of the month one could hear positive noises here and there, but except my mugging, the month has been silent. Well, that’s my uncomfortable point of view. There is in me a wish for, shall I say, a bigger appreciation for the month. Yes, I do mean music concerts, dance festivals, theatre on human rights issues, poetry readings that celebrate the positivity in our lives. But I hear none. A friend of mine in Joburg did boast a bit about a “cultural vibe that celebrates humanity in Gauteng”.
I have not heard anything from Durban, but knowing them, they might be doing something. But whatever the rest of the nation is doing, it is Cape Town or the Western Cape that should take the biggest responsibility here.
The reasoning behind the statement might subjectively be referring to Mr Mandela spending more than a quarter century here, but it is more. It also refers to the beautiful soul we possess.
I also think the Cape has a brilliant arts community that has, in my humble opinion, a great and humble voice which can, and has, many times reached the international world.
Take for instance, a guy from the Cape Flats called Dollar Brand.
He is now internationally famous as Abdullah Ibrahim. He is nationally famous for a humble song called Manenberg. Ibrahim in his fame has a couple of songs that have made me wonder if he does not belong to a Xhosa anthropology. In the albums, he has, for instance, drawn fame from compositions such as Woza Mntwana, (come baby) a melodic moment that made me think he is from Gugulethu or Langa.
And then there is, for instance, his rendition of classical Xhosa folk song, Bhayi Lam, which has convinced me he deserves an anthropological investigation to determine if he might be relayed to the Xhosa clan called Amavundle, that prides itself with the tag “Bhayi”. I have asked many souls in that clan if they knew Ibrahim as a fellow clan member, but they said no, they do not know but it is possible. In other words, I am humbly suggesting to the state to invite guys like Abdullah Ibrahim to festivities that celebrate human rights next year. My humble opinion does hold it that people like him do project the non-racial beauty South Africans possess.
It is needless to say that in the broad wide world, nobody can ever achieve the major levels of nonracialism that we in South Africa possess. Yes, I do mean all political parties in this country make me proud when I hear their non-racial or anti-racist articulations. I am also capable of distinguishing between a true and false articulation on the subject. There was a time when we could gauge a political party’s non-racialism by the vote they got. I don’t think that is still possible. Thank the Lord!
Now I presume you understand my feeling that this month has been too quiet. The few little gestures we produced in terms of human celebrations have not been adequate. True, my reference at the moment is Cape Town, but you know why. I do, in fact, think Cape Town offers South Africa a beautiful opportunity to market human rights internationally. Don’t you agree?
I do have a humble feeling we under-utilise the enormous beauty of this space. The proximity and calibre of the academic institutions in a space called the Mother City does embarrass the sensibilities that we possess.
I know that my assertion might sound too poetic to the conservative human being, but a plea is directed to the intellect.
It is not silly to ask the human being to create a moment of dance in a month that must not be limited to national boundaries and limitations. There is a glee in my expression of South Africa beyond national or continental lines. It is not a limited national glee. I might be repeating this, but I have a long time ago abandoned the narrow confines of national lines.
I prefer an appreciation and celebration of the human being beyond the narrow confines spoken aloud by the nation state. My international plea is for the world to adopt and dance to the international steps demanded by our lives. I know we can do it. I have done it many times. It does not hurt. It is exciting!
I like exciting things. But so do you. So why are we not asking our administrations to help us dance this month? I know they will. Oops, I forgot the essence of this communication is supposed to concentrate on the Western Cape. Methinks it is wise that we should concentrate on Cape Town and the suburbs when it comes to the arts. It is not an accusation of other provinces as dull and useless, no, they also have some magnificence, I am sure.
It is just that I think there is upon us (Mother City) also a history that says to the subcontinent: Cape Town also hosted Cecil John Rhodes. I am careful though to remember not to use festivities this month to fondly remind us of Rhodes and them. I do think that as artists we need to search in the art moments for a voice that reminds not linger backwards, but to search for a way deeper in the human senses. Again, let me plead that when we find it, not to limit it to ourselves, but broaden its reach to embrace the many moments of the human experience.
I know it is not really easy to listen to a preachy ceremony on human rights, that is why I think it should rather be a jol. I am also thinking that the quality of the jol should be a consideration. In other words; please, not a boring jol.
I am humbly asking that the rest of the month find creative essences to speak the human rights voice. But let us concentrate our humility… and creativity on making sure human rights will really be celebrated next year.