Africa Ngcobo, an ARROWSA alumnus created a video that commemorates the early days of ARROWSA when the original ARROW Bechet group went on an intercultural art exchange to Plymouth, UK.

Have a look at Africa's video to appreciate how far ARROWSA has come since 2006. 

Thanks to Africa Ngcobo

Africa now has a computer company X-Computers that supply and service computers and mobile devices, https://www.facebook.com/durbanlaptops 

Past ARROWSA/Indra international arts for social change activities and events in the words of ARROWSA Alumni

Youth Day June 16, 2020

"Our children are our greatest treasure.  They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our future.  Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation." Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Thank you Bheki, Vincent and the wonderful Miss Bechet and ARROWSA ladies for inspiring us!

Support performing artists who are helping hands in providing food during the lockdown Covid-19 2020! 

South Roots International including ARROWSA alumni

ARROWSA Alumni, Noluthando, Angela, Ntombi and Rachelle, who are performing arts interns at South Roots International, became part of the team that assisted in delivering food to the vulnerable in the Cape Flats during the Covid-19 lockdown. The team was led by Gloria of Balls not Guns and included Shanette, Sue-Livia, Jesse, Gracia and Nicole with the ARROWSA alumni. 

When the wearing of masks was enforced the team made 100 masks for community workers. 

The team make sandwiches, write inspiring notes and stick them on the sandwiches or loaves of bread that they distribute. Bags of fresh food products and packets of dry food products are delivered to central points in the Cape Town areas where communities women and children cook food for the vulnerable communities. Particularly the children are fed. Queues of children wait in lines that comply with social distancing requirements. 

The team started delivering to a few hundred vulnerable people in nine areas of the Cape Flats but at present are delivering to thousands in areas all over the Cape Flats. In mid-May the following places and numbers were supplied:

Food stations, numbers of people and times of delivery:
1.      Eagle Park   300 children      6  days  a week
2.      Jimsebos      200 children     3 days  a week
3.      Phumlani     300 children      4  days  a week
We cook for the above communities at the Lodge daily who have representatives who fetch it 
4.      Sea Winds   300 5 days a week     2 feeding station  two poorly equipped kitchens
5.      Cafda          200  6 days a week     2 feeding stations
6.      Parkwood.   350  6 days a week    1  feeding station
7.       New Horizon M 1     200  6 days a week  1 feeding station
8.       New Horizon  M 2   200 6 days     1 feeding station
9.      New Horizon   A       200  6 days    1 feeding station
Food delivered in the Cape Flats
10.  Hanover Park    550 6days a week      3  feeding stations
11.  Manenberg.      500  6 days a week   18  feeding stations
12.  Bontheuwel.   300 6 days a week        3 feeding stations
13.  Bishop lavis     200 6 days week          1 feeding station
14.  Portland          200 3 days a week        1   feeding station
15.  Tafelsig.          800 3 days a week        2 feeding stations
Food delivered in the Northern Suburbs
16.  Eerste River     300 6 days                  2  feeding stations
17.  Kuilsriver       200   6 days                   3 feeding stations
18.  Wesbank.      300    6 days                  5 feeding stations
19.  Vlottenburg   200  4 days a week        1 feeding station for the rest below
20.  Watsonia       200   
21.  Scottsville      350

At the end of May the number of people who make and supply the sandwiches have decreased because they are returning to work. 

 

  

ARROWSA assisted the South Roots International team in a small way by appealing for funds from the public to purchase food for distribution. New donors came forward as did some of ARROWSA's faithful supporters. We thank all of them! 

If you would like to contribute towards this ongoing work, please deposit your donation to the following bank account with the reference Food. 

South Roots International

FNB Cheque Acc 62629085798

Branch 200407

Swift Code

FIRNZAJJ

If you would like updates on the food distribution please contact us at arrowsa.artpeace@gmail.com

Happy Africa Day 2020! 

From ARROWSA we wish all our fellow Africans the best for today and for coping with and after Covid-19. In particular, we wish a happy Africa Day 2020 to our fellow Africans in the ARROWSA and  Indra Network with whom we have celebrated at ARROW and Indra Congresses: ARROWSA Bechet.

Abasha Bash in Durban, South Roots in Cape Town,  Jerry Adesewo of Arojah Royal Theatre in Nigeria

Ndeamoh Mansaray from Indra in Sierra Leone

And the young men, Denis  Swartbook, Gianni Beukes, Darrel-Ray Willmore, Smithley Araeb of Anistemi College and Training Centre in Usakos, Namibia and the Beukes leaders.  

We look forward to strengthening our co-operation on the continent and beyond for social change through the arts!

ARROWSA Legends

Luthando Ngema 

Media and Cultural Studies Department, School of Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Luthando Ngema is an ARROWSA legend who is an essential ARROWSA management portfolio leader who has brought in funding for ARROWSA Bechet. Luthando is a lecturer in the Media and Cultural Studies Department, School of Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal and a PhD candidate! Over the past few years, Luthando has co-chaired ARROWSA with Mary Lange. She started her enthusiastic support of ARROWSA as a CCMS, UKZN voluntary student in 2010 at ARROWSA Bechet and the Palmiet Nature Reserve programmes.  

Luthando’s commitment to ARROWSA over the years reflects in the work that is shared in numerous posts under ARROWSA Bechet, Palmiet Nature Reserve and Indra Congress labels in the ARROWSA blog.  These posts record some of the many activities and events that she has led. These include leading ARROWSA teams to National Arts Council funded Indra Congress bi-lateral exchanges with India and Plymouth hubs as well as Kalahari trips. Luthando has stepped in as one of the ARROWSA representatives in the eThekwini Local History Museums’ Passbook and Abasha Bash competitions. Despite her busy schedule as a lecturer, PhD candidate and mother, her enthusiasm, dedication and creative thinking inspire the ARROWSA participants and management! 

Luthando Ngema presents in Plymouth, United Kingdom on ARROWSA, 2015

  A hand mapping exercise led by Luthando in Lucknow, India 2014

Luthando Ngema with Aslina Madikizela at the 

ARROWSA -  Palmiet Nature Reserve programme, 2015.

Luthando representing ARROWSA at the eThekwini Local History Museum's Abasha Bash competition

.

ARROWSA Legends

Lauren Dyll, Centre for Communication, Media and Society,  University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Prof Lauren Eva Dyll has been a staunch supporter of ARROWSA since 2004! Lauren's extended family, including her mother Anne Ross, are also legends in the way that they have helped fundraise over the years. They have also provided support behind the scenes to the leader of ARROWSA Bechet, Mr Bheki Dlamini. 

Lauren is a mother of two young children and a very busy woman who is a perfectionist achiever.  She works as Associate Professor in the Centre for Communication, Media and Society and Academic Leader for Community Engagement in the School of Applied Human Sciences. Considering all Lauren's personal and professional commitments one may wonder why she continues to serve as a volunteer in ARROWSA management?

Lauren explains below that "laughter and learning" are what have kept her working with and for ARROWSA as a volunteer for so many years. (For more information on Lauren's participation linked to ARROWSA see the Community Engagement partner CCMS, ARROWSA Bechet and  Research portfolio labels of the ARROWSA blog).

"I was asked me to write about why I have stayed involved in ARROWSA for all these years. On a personal note it can be summed up in one word: laughter. When I met Mary Lange during a research field trip to the Kalahari, not only did I meet a compassionate person and dedicated researcher, but someone whose wit and fun-loving nature could make people across many different ages, cultures and races burst out in heartfelt laughter together. Not only does laughter express joy but physiologically it releases endorphins that assist in reducing stress. In this simple yet powerful way Mary demonstrated to me what ARROWSA is all about – individual and collective expression, intercultural connection and well-being. The same was achieved when I accompanied the Bechet learners, teachers and Mary on their first intercultural trip to Plymouth in the UK. So when Mary asked if I would consider volunteering as a member of the ARROWSA management committee I jumped at the opportunity. Academically, my research centres on participatory communication, issues of identity and critical indigenous research methodologies. Being involved with ARROWSA has animated the principles and processes attached to these interests. This has been through sitting on a sand dune with Vetkat Kruiper listening to him explain to Mary what his vision was for his book, Mooi Loop; Bheki’s performances that explore different perceptions of heritage with the Bechet learners, co-authoring the book, Engraved Landscape: Biesje Poort, Many Voices with academics from different higher learning institutions, archeologists and KhoeSan descendants; the DUT/ARROWSA/CCMS jewellery exhibitions where proceeds are ‘paid forward’ to invest in further learning exchanges, and now with the current Mashishing Marking Memories project that examines the potentiality of participation as a tool in post-processual archeology, as the project records the intangible cultural heritage associated with the sites via storytelling and oral interpretations by a diverse research team, as well as their contemporary educational and tourism resource potential. Two words then: laughter and learning."

Lauren and ARROWSA Bechet participants at Stonehenge, UK, 2006.

Lauren (centre) with Mary Lange and Colleen Manning (ARROWSA Bechet) 

at Dartmoor Museum, UK, 2006.