ARROWSA Bechet participant, Hlobisile Khanyile, wrote a poem at home and then brought it to a session and shared it with the group. She says that she wrote the poem after the noise and excitement of a session the previous week when the group was workshopping a play.

ARROWSA               by Hlobisile Khanyile  (17 yrs)

ARROW is my place called home
A home forming a future and uplifting each other
With a mother
Working on different brothers and sisters
Every Tuesday and Thursday
Enriching minds and souls
with people’s different cultural beliefs
That will evoke peace and happiness
in lives and still make changes
In the world
Yes! We are different and that’s what
brings us together
You would hear rhythm and style
playing during our sessions
and you would hear shouting
and screaming of excitement
When we write down our differences
on a piece of paper with a pen  writing
That can never be erased
That brings a bigger brighter future
A future more like our dreams
That are better than our Guess Jeans
That fitted perfectly but never lasted for years.
You can find your dream in ARROW
So full and free
Without hearing a mother’s scream
Or voices of horror and fear
ARROW is my place called home                                              2012

ARROWSA BECHET PARTICIPANT SHARES HIS POEM AS PERFORMED AT THE SOUTH-NORTH CONVERSATION EXHIBITION OPENING

Let’s go back to the days

By Darnelle Fortune  (14 yrs)

 

Let’s go back to the days

when we were young

When we were free

And lived life how it’s supposed to be

When imagination was not a word

But a part of our dreams

When being hurt didn’t matter

and sadness didn’t exist

When LMNO was one word

And we didn’t know the meaning of obscured

When friendship was the only relationship

and the fun never ended

When it was OK to cry

And impossible to lie

When you never wished you’d die

and focused on spelling “My”

You see!

There’s a difference between past and present...

Past is the essence of life...

it makes you who you are...

past is a simple time of life...

that takes you very far...

it’s a learning curve that many have been through

it’s a journey that leads you to...

THE PRESENT

the present is now

it’s on the spot

the present is time...

the present is life...

We often get confused between the two

and our minds don’t go too far

let’s go back to the days

that made us who we are!                           2012

Positive chat 

on 

ARROWSA, DUT & CCMS, UKZN 

jewellery exhibition opening at DUT art gallery July 2013

"It was the best exhibition opening that we've ever had! There was such a good vibe!"  

(Bhekithemba ARROWSA assistant facilitator)

"The students jewellery was magnificent!" (Visitor)

'The jewellery was so well made and reasonably priced." (Visitor)

"You could see that a lot of work and attention had been put into the jewellery!' 

(Visitor from Johannesburg)

http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/walledcity/

"I could have listened to Prof Mc Cracken speaking all day about his home town Derry in Ireland!" 

(DUT student)

"It was interesting what the Prof said about the similarities and differences between the Irish and the Zulus and that the Irish could learn something about reconciliation in the small things from the South Africans."

(ARROWSA Bechet)

http://www.newgrange.com/

" Dr Connoly made us feel so special and what she said was so interesting!" 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"She really made us think about how art also includes science and the importance of the Irish and our culture in pre-writing times"

(ARROWSA Bechet co facilitator)

"When I got home I told my parents about it and they were proud of me and wished they had been there." 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"I was so proud of 'The Songbirds' and the dancers. 

Even though the music on their phone didn't work  and one of the dancers belts started to come off - they just carried on and gave it their all!"  

(Bhekithemba ARROWSA Bechet co facilitator)

"A lady dressed in mauve (Marja Bremer) spoke to us afterwards and congratulated us. She was so appreciative and encouraging!" 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"The evening highlighted the worth of the ARROWSA trips" 

(Osmond Lange Architects 2006-2011 ARROWSA funding support)

"I think everyone will want to send their children to Bechet after tonight" 

(Bechet High teacher)

"I loved the food!" 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"There was such a spread of food and all just from the ARROWSA Management team each bringing something"  

(ARROWSA Management) 

"A man came up to me, congratulated me and shook my hand, then I headed for the chips." (ARROWSA Bechet learner)

 "Darnelle's poem was amazing!"
(UKZN lecturer)

"I was so impressed that Tshetiya's storytelling kept the attention of even the DUT and UKZN students" 

(ARROWSA Bechet facilitator)

"Do the ARROWSA group really write their own material?  That is so good!" 

(Visiting youth)

"I really enjoyed the band, rock on!"  

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"A lot of pieces of jewellery were sold! It was so full! " 

(DUT art gallery curator)

"19 pieces were bought on the opening night!" 

(ARROWSA Management)

"Please say thank you to those people who have supported us every single exhibition opening like Lauren and her family and Mrs Bremer!"

 (ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"I enjoyed every minute of it" 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

"This year people really seemed to appreciate what we're trying to do." 

(ARROWSA Bechet learner)

ARROWSA, CCMS - DUT JEWELLERY EXHIBITION 2013

One of ARROWSA's objectives is to bring together individuals, institutions and organisations via the arts for the sharing of knowledge and the promotion of understanding for peace.  Towards this objective collaborative jewellery exhibitions have been held over the past three years.

This year ARROWSA, CCMS, UKZN, Bechet High and DUT Jewellery Design and Manufacture department will hold their collaborative jewellery exhibition at DUT art gallery, Steve Biko Campus from the 20th July to the 1st August 2013. The theme of the exhibition links to the 2013 IAMCR hosted by CCMS, UKZN namely "South-North Conversations".  In line with this theme the jewellery exhibited will be inspired by the fusion of south and north cultural influences - specifically South African and Celtic (Irish).

The jewellery exhibitions have also served the purpose of fund raising towards ARROWSA youth's participation in face-to-face intercultural exchange excursions both nationally and internationally.  This year a portion of jewellery sales will go towards the ARROWSA youth attendance of the Indra Global Youth Congress in Derry, Ireland June/July 2013.

At the exhibition opening the ARROWSA Bechet youth traditionally perform and this year the group has created a short programme on the theme of communication past and present.  They work shopped the programme over three days in the school holidays.  Participants this year range from a youth who has only attended ARROWSA Bechet sessions for two weeks to one who has attended for 7 years. The short programme includes poetry, dancing, story telling, music and singing 

ARROWSA Research Portfolio Report

by Lauren Dyll-Myklebust

Jan -June 2012

The following activities and progress has taken place:

Biesje Poort (BP) Research / Project

April 2012

Proposal submitted: to National Heritage Council (NHC) for: Biesje Poort, Northern Cape, Rock Art Book: A Learning Process.

Purpose:

1)  to disseminate knowledge of the Biesje Poort rock art and surrounding areas

2) provide opportunities for initial Biesje Poort team members (who promote multi-racial/cultural/academic disciplinary representativity) to gain skills in research, report writing and editing. 

BP project has been used as an example of multivocality in research in forthcoming publication by CCMS staff:

Tomaselli, Dyll-Myklebust & van Grootheest (forthcoming) Personal/Political Interventions via Autoethnography: Dualisms, Knowledge, Power and Performativity in Research Relations, In Stacy Homan Jones, Tony E. Adams & Carolyn Ellis, The Handbook of Autoethography. Left Coast Books.

CCMS Masters Research

1)      New MA research on ARROWSA affiliated project/organisation:

Prestage Murima: “Assessing teenagers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards teenage pregnancy. The case of Bechet High School”

Prestage has presented at the CCMS research seminar and has submitted her proposal and ethics form to the Higher Degree Committee.

2)      Continuing MA research on ARROWSA affiliated project/organisation:

Miliswa Magongo: “Ripples of Empowerment? Exploring the role of participatory development communication in Biesje Poort Rock Art Recording”

Miliswa is likely to complete her dissertation this year.

Development Communication and Culture Honours Projects

There have been 3 topics linked to ARROWS affiliated projects and organisations. All projects have been submitted and in the process of examination:

Danielle Evans:  “Unearthing the current cultural heritage tourism marketing strategy: Palmiet Archaeological Community Project Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, as a cultural heritage tourism site”

Dumisani  Mthethwa:  “Analysing the role that indigenous Knowledge and heritage play in participatory development communication: A case study of ARROWSA: Art, Culture & Heritage for Peace project at Bechet High School”   

       

Sandisa Nyokana: “Participation Communication in Applied Theatre: An analysis of POPPETS (Program of Primary Prevention Education Through Stories) conducted by the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal”.

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.

ARROWSA Action Research and CCMS, UKZN

ARROWSA promotes action research on our projects so that we may reflect on our activities and address and changes that need to be made.

ARROWSA is privileged in 2012 to once more have both volunteer facilitators and research students from the Centre for Communication, Media and Society (CCMS), University of KwaZulu-Natal conduct action research on two projects.  

CCMS Masters students Luthando and Prestage are both volunteer facilitators.  Luthando is facilitating the ARROWSA Bechet sessions as well as assisting in facilitation of the culture and heritage projects e.g. at the Bergtheil Museum, Palmiet and Msuduzi programmes.  

Prestage has enthusiastically assisted in facilitation of and participated in the ARROWSA Bechet sessions this year and is facilitating a link with schools in Zimbabwe.

CCMS Honours student, Dumisani conducted his Development, Communication and Culture (DCC) module research at ARROWSA Bechet. He was researching the role that Indigenous Knowledge (specifically dance) played in development at the Arts for Peace project at ARROWSA Bechet. Part of his research methodology included participatory research and Dumisani attended  and participated in a number of sessions.

CCMS, UKZN Honours student Danielle also conducted research at ARROWSA for her DCC module.  Danielle researched the marketing strategy of ARROWSA Culture and Heritage for Peace - Palmiet archaeological dig programme (in association with the Bergtheil Museum).

We look forward to sharing Danielle and Dumisani's research when available.