| In 2002, Mothertongue associates spent time in India on a training residency with the Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Arts Research in Pondicherry, India. The residency focused on a sharing and exchange of skills with the artists of the Adishakti Company who draw from the ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu as well as Koodiyattam, the oldest living form of theatre. The month long residency has opened up possibilities for a continued collaboration between the two companies. By exploring the links between ancient forms of storytelling in India and South Africa, we hope to come up with a new form of storytelling combining techniques from both lands. |
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Womantide
Produced in collaboration with Mothertongue, Womantide is an anthem to life and the resilience of humanity in the face of great adversity. Legendary Cape Town singer/musician and songwriter Tina Schouw, Moodphase5ive diva Ernestine “Ernie” Dean and well-known writer/ performance poet Malika Ndlovu are pooled their talents to create a brand new performance of their original material. This trio of gifted women artists use their voices to honour the human spirit. “The show is a meeting of our parallel paths, merging our perspectives on life through our words, music and womanness,” says Tina “It’s a magical synergy,” choruses Ernie. Sara Matchett directed the Baxter run of this performance.
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Mothertongue in Zambia:
In June 2006 Mothertongue director Sara Matchett and resource person Mwenya Kabwe undertook a ten-day trip to Lusaka and Mfuwe Zambia with the support of Art moves Africa. During this trip Mothertongue met with various arts based organizations in Zambia including SEKA, Kamoto Community Arts and a forum for women artists based in Lusaka. This visit was designed to explore opportunities to artistic networking across southern Africa on the thematic area of gender based violence and HIV/AIDS. This initial meeting led to a collaboration with Mary Manzole, the Artistic Director or Kamoto Community Arts. The result is the production Washa Mollo. |
| Mothertongue at the XVI International HIV/AIDS Conference Toronto August 2006. In partnership with UNIFEM Southern Africa, Mothertongue attends the International AIDS conference in Toronto, Canada. Our participation in this conference emerges from our implementation of an arts based project that explores the intersections between HIV/AIDS and gender based violence in Khayelitsha Cape Towns largest Black Township. Mothertongue through Programmes Coordinator Awino Okech will be part of a two day workshop prior to the conference - “Action on Gender Based Violence And HIV/AIDS: Bringing Together Research, Policy, Programs and Advocacy”. This meeting will provide a forum for discussing the linkages between gender-based violence and HIV with a view to informing the policies and practices of those working in these fields. The aim is also to provide a valuable opportunity for participants to share the lessons they have learned from their experience working from different entry points, at different levels, using different methods, and within different country contexts. |
Mothertongue in Switzerland: 7th – 17th August 2006
Mothertongue’s Sara Matchett in collaboration with Ndoni Khanyile and Jill Levenberg created performance initiative Nia. Nia is a Kiswahili word for purpose. Nia showcased original works of poetry, song at the Caux - Initiatives for Change conference on An Honest Dialogue for a Clean and Just Africa. The conference addressed how best to develop policies that will strengthen and empower the rising generation of Africans and help tackle problems such as poverty, corruption and the challenges of trade, health and food security.
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16 days of activism on violence against women and children 2006:
Mothertongue took part in the international 16 days campaign on violence against women and children with a series of outreach performances in Khayelitsha. These performances emerged from our pilot project Laphumilanga and saw the women perform to a range of spect-actors in Khayelitsha. The activities of the group were also shared widely through discussions on community radio stations – Bush Radio and Radio Zibonele. Mothertongue is in the process of publishing a booklet that reflects on our experiences of exploring the intersections between Gender based violence and HIV/AIDS using the arts. This work is supported by the Foundation for Human rights an organization funded by the European Union under the European programmes for Reconstruction and development.
Partnering with IOM: In partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mothertongue staff and resource persons received training on Human Trafficking. We will incorporate this into ongoing work especially with refugee women in Cape Town. We will also be addressing the intersecting question of HIV/AIDS. Human trafficking is a vice that continues to thrive under the radar because of the difficulty of naming it and hence dealing with the perpetrators. Our work will be geared towards opening up debate, dialogue around common African practices that foster this practice. This work will also contribute to ongoing and much needed research around the extent of human trafficking in South Africa.
Changing Lives, Changing Communities: Women's Leadership Making a Difference on HIV&AIDS - YWCA Conference in Nairobi, Kenya July 1-11, 2007
Aspects of our work under Laphumilanga will be shared by Cynthia Rothschild of the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) during the Strengthening Resistance: Critical Issues and Innovative Advocacy in HIV and Violence against Women event, on July 6th, 2007. Laphumilanga was profiled in Strengthening Resistance: Confronting Violence against Women and HIV/AIDS, a report published by the CWGL in 2006.
The 50th Annual FITR- IFTR Conference in Stellenbosch South Africa 10th – 14th July 2007
Mothertongue will be represented at this annual conference that brings together theatre practitioners and academics. This will done through two papers: Shards of memories, fragments of sorrows: Mothertongue transforming spaces occupied by women in South African theatre by Sara Matchett. Theatre for development: a cul de sac, a paper reflecting on TFD engagement in South Africa by locating Mothertongue’s community development projects by Awino Okech. We will also be sharing aspects of our work at a special session on Feminist Theatre Research on 13th July at the same conference.
The Creative Challenge: Engaging with Culture in HIV/AIDS - Johannesburg 17th – 19th July 2007
At a workshop bringing together a number of South Africa theatre organizations engaged in practical interventions around HIV/AIDS, Mothertongue will be sharing insights from our project Laphumilanga. This workshop is an initiative of Creative Xchange (UK) in stimulating conversations amongst theatre practitioners on effective ways of utilising culture as a tool in the advocacy around HIV/AIDS. Similar workshops will be held in Kenya, The Caribbean, Vietnam and Cambodia.
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