16th June YOUTH DAY - ARROWSA 

ORIBI STORYTELLING AND DANCE WORKSHOP

Msunduzi Museum (Pietermaritzburg) invited us to present a workshop for a group of youth at the Oribi Village Pietermaritzburg for Youth Day.  The workshop took place on the 14th June in the afternoon at the South African Vroue Federasie (SAVF) community hall at Oribi Village and we were not sure quite what to expect.  

The group of youth was a bit younger than what we anticipated and we worked outside on the lawn but we still had a lovely time with the energetic children.  The Msunduzi staff also attended, including their director and deputy director as well as some of the SAVF staff who gave the group food after the workshop .

As always Kaya of Msunduzi was very welcoming and did his best to make us feel welcome and at ease.

The programme that we presented was as follows - with some adaptations due to the limited concentrations span of some of the young ones:

MOVING FOR PEACE - PROGRAMME OUTLINE

1.       Intro – Mary, Gogo and Luthando – theme of movement  and dance in culture for unity and fun!

2.       Warm-up –Luthando – Simon says

3.       The woman and the baboon – movement in story – teach and then do in a circle – tell story with audience participation as actors and movement – Emphasis on working together and survival

4.       Hunter-Gatherers – Ostrich dance – unity in diversity -context and objectives (Mary)

Moves – Mary, Gogo and Thikwe (puppet) and ostrich egg

In pairs – outer and inner circle facing each other

5.        Herders – Nama stap – Gogo short demonstration

6.       African farmers – unity in culture -women’s role – marriage song – Gogo Umakhoti

Participants who wanted went to the centre of the circle and led the song with movements 

7.        European settlers – English  - Mary – Hokey Cokey – unity in culture across the world – Entire group in pairs – outer and inner circle – change partners with each new move

9.       City/working culture – the benifits of dance - unity in struggle – Gumboot dancing – Luthando - in a circle the participants who want to show their own favourite dances

We felt privileged to have worked with Msunduzi Museum again and especially to have worked with the Oribi youth.