Afrotellers Conference ends on a high note in Johannesburg as delegates feast and dance in Kwa Mai Mai and swim at a Pool party in newtown

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

The Afrotellers who gathered In Johannesburg, telling African stories, unfiltered in in the best way they wanted started from October 23 to October 2025 wound down their activities by hosting on Saturday a market Day where entrepreneurs , such as fashion designers and food stalls holders displays their products.

The space in front of The Market Theatre was transformed into a fashion district with interesting designs on display. The Market Theatre foundation, City Lodge and Wits University were co-hosts of this Conference of Africa story tellers a multidisciplinary approach to tell African stories from a decolonial perspective such as theatre, visual art, music and fashion. The delegates who numbered more than 150 came from a number of African countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria and Lesotho.

The conference ended on a high but light note when after the market, delegates were taken to the Famous Kwa Mai Mai, in Maboneng, where a huge feast took place amind listening to Amapiano hits by a DJ. Some took to the dance floor to display their dancing skills. Delegates, particularly those that came from other African countries other than South Africa were especially surprised by the freedom enjoyed by a huge crowd that feasted on braai meat and enjoyed music from the DJs as they did so at Kwa Mai Mai traditional Market.

“There is so much freedom here, especially among the women folklore who seem to be at ease, dancing and enjoying themselves. This is something that one does not witness in Kenya,” a delegate from Kenya told CITYLIFE/ARTS as she danced to music from the DJ.

After Kwa Mai Mai the delegates went back to Newtown, this time to City Lodge where the party continued at the pool where drinks were drinks were further enjoyed and those with the skills to swim dived into the water to cool off. It was indeed a great way of winding down three days of intense story telling as the delegates exchanged notes, reclaimed reframed African narratives away from the Western frame and methodologies..