Africa Day

The 25^th of May is Africa Day! Celebrated since 1963 when the Organization of African Unity was founded, the District 6 Museum this year in collaboration with the Prestwich Place Project Committee, Khoi Gxam Productions, the Ogoni Solidarity Forum, the Independent Theater Movement of South Africa and Chimurenga magazine, is hosting a series of discussions and performances that explore the themes of space, power, influence and profit.

The programme begins at eleven with a gathering of the Seven Steps club, an association of ex-residents who meet monthly to reflect on current issues. This will be followed by a tribute to dissident poet James Matthews, which will take the form of a lunchtime poetry reading with musical accompaniment based on a concept entitled Live Rage which was performed at Artscape last year as part of their heritage month celebrations. This performance is comprised of a selection of Mister Matthews poetry which will be interpreted by three young actors under the direction of Tauriq Jenkins and Michael Wentworth and will start at 12h30. A guest appearance by James Matthews will conclude the lunch hour performance.

At 16h30 a panel discussion panelists from some of the partner organizations presenting their different perspectives and the day will conclude with a performance of Progres, a play inspired by the life and work of acclaimed Nigerian author and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa who was executed along with eight others in 1995 for their opposition to the activities of Shell and the Nigerian Federal Government. Progres’ is written and directed by Michael Wentworth and Tauriq Jenkins and stars Tauriq as the lorry Progres’ with Monique Rockman, Lee Alan Roodt, Ema-Lee Atkins and Keenan Herman.

This play was first commissioned by the Ogoni Solidarity Forum – an organization established to raise awareness about the conditions in the Niger Delta where the story is set.

Chimurenga Magazine will be introducing the Chimurenga Chronicle – a speculative, future-forward newspaper that travels back in time to re-imagine the present. The next issue of Chimurenga will take the form of a once-off, one-day-only edition of a weekly newspaper the likes of which has never been seen in Africa. Back-dated to the week May 11-18 2008, it reports on the first week of the so-called xenophobic violence in South Africa, two years ago – and events around the world during this period.
This is not only a commemoration. It is also a second chance; an opportunity to provide the depth of reporting and analysis that should have appeared during this period. Our aim is not only to reanimate history – to ask what could have been done – but also to provide a space from which to re-engage the present and re-dream the future.