Windybrow speaks Swahili

By CityLife Arts Writer

Africa month which is being celebrated this year in Africa amid the coronavirus pandemic causing havoc to people’s lives around the world is being celebrated at Windybrow Theatre in style, through the virtual world.

The arts centre, which has long cemented its position on the country’s theatre scene from as early as 1993, before South Africa attained freedom by staging pan African plays and art. This journey was pioneered way before 1994 by the late poet and playwright Walter Chakela who recently passed on. His legacy of staging shows with a pan African favour, however continues at Windybrow. This pan African programming however winds Windybrow’s Africa month programme this coming weekend with online discussions and comedy. Among other issues Windybrow will hold a discussion on the topic“Speaking to Swahili”, an  online discussion on the implementation of Swahili as an official language in Africa.

The Windybrow Arts Centre is the 4^th of the Market Theatre Foundation’s Arts departments Collective, framing itself as a space for thought leadership, Literacy and Pan African Expression. The Windybrow is proud to have The Pan African Reading Lounges for Adults, with authors from all over the continent, and for children with a selection of books in all South African languages.

The Annual Africa Month Festival, a programme celebrating Arts across the continent and the diaspora in all disciplines, is a month long offering in it’s 3^rd year of inception. The festival has showcased the works of Artists from Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, and Congo. Each year The Windybrow hosts discussions exploring different topics, with a focus on global social issues.

Speaking to Swahili

An online discussion on the implementation of Swahili as an official language in Africa. Language is sculpted by culture and carries with it a key sense of a people’s identity, Swahili has and will most likely find many a home in other countries on the continent but where does It place itself in a country that is yet to see itself as part of the continent.

Questions to address:

-What place will Swahili find in Africa, how do South African see themselves engaging the continent in Swahili?

• What is the vision of the continent in introducing Swahili and how will It affect us socio-economically, culturally, and linguistically? 
• Date: 29^th  May 2020
• Place: Windybrow Arts Centre/ Hear my Voice Facebook pg from a Zoom live feed.
• Time: 18:00

When Tragedy sparks, Africa often turns to comedy

However the centre will also host comedy as part of the Africa Month activities at Windybrow.

There will be also an online discussion on Africa’s keen sense of humour in dealing with serious issues.

When tragedy sparks, Africa often turns to comedy. Africans take every opportunity to find comedy in some of the most serious matters faced. The centre will be chatting with comedians regarding the humour we turn to in times of need.

Questions:

Date: 31^st May 2020

Place: Windybrow Arts Centre/ Hear my Voice Facebook page from a Zoom live feed.

Time: 18:00