Some 700 learners in the Western Cape town of Clanwilliam will be busy over a time period of a week interpreting and re-enacting a story told by the /Xam (Cape San) people who occupied the area they live in today, countless years ago.
Photo courtesy of Mark Wessels
The chosen story always holds a modern-day lesson for the children, and is chosen each year from an archive of San narratives recorded by colonial linguists Lucy Lloyd and Wilhelm Bleek in the 1870s.
This archive has formed the basis for the Clanwilliam Arts Project which is an ongoing collaboration between the University of Cape Town and Magnet Theatre. Professor Mark Fleishman, Head of UCT Drama, says the narrative chosen for this year’s project is The Anteater, The Springbok and The Linx.
The Clanwilliam learners will explore the theme in a week-long workshop involving dance, storytelling, shadow puppetry, stilt walking, music, and arts and crafts, such as the construction of larger-than-life illuminated figures based on traditional San themes.
The workshop facilitators are from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, the UCT Drama department, the UCT College of Music and Magnet Theatre.
The workshops culminate in a performance at which the results are enacted for the community. The performance is based on /Xam storytelling elements, including fire dancing, music and mythical objects made by the learners. It is preceded by a lantern-lit procession followed by the performance. Approximately 3 000 people witness this remarkable event every year, which is considered to be one of the Western Cape’s best kept secrets.
This project was made possible by the support of the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund, Rooibos Limited, the Western Cape Government Cultural Affairs and Sport, The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) in association with Nedbank Arts Affinity, Rand Merchant Bank, Cederberg Municipality and the ATKV.
Contact: Margie Pankhurst, 021 448 3436 Emai : admin@magnettheatre.co.za
Unit 1, The Old Match Factory, corner St Michaels and Lower Main Roads, Observatory, Cape Town