Hlatshwayo’s ABOMHLABA(THI) an affirmation of UBUNTU
By Lauren Noble (guest writer)
It’s always a thrill to see Musa Hlatshwayo’s name on the JOMBA! programme. His name has become synonymous with an experience in socially conscious physical theatre and one that is swathed in a soulful exploration of the politics of identity in a vast and complex world.
Presented by Mhayise Productions and featuring performances by Aphelele Nyawose, Snethemba Khuzwayo and Njabulo Zungu, ABOMHLABA(THI) is a full-length dance piece which premiered in 2019 at the KZNSA Gallery, and returns as part of the Legacy Platform for the inaugural digital JOMBA! of 2020.
Inspired by the Honourable Credo Mutwa’s stories of the creation of the earth and the people, the title of the piece is a play on a phrase of affirmation: “abantu bomhlaba yithi” which is translated to “the people of the earth are us”. It is within the duality so often explored in these tales — one of past and present, nomadic and rooted, physical and spiritual — that ABOMHLABA(THI) exists. It was Caroline Smart of Artsmart who observed of the trio of characters that it was “through the unfolding journey, [that] they find themselves tracing trek-lines, footsteps and bloodlines that lead towards an introspection of who they are in a land torn by the histories of our past, present and future.”
Mhayise Productions has been creating ground-breaking pieces of dance, theatre and a variety of multidisciplinary site-specific and installation campaigns and performances for 14-years. Based in Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa and led by Artistic and Creative Director, Musa Hlatshwayo, the company has moved from strength to strength and continues to produce provocative and evocative pieces that challenge the status quo.
If the recent disruption to our state of stasis has shown us anything it is that a greater move towards a deeper understanding and a far more acute conscientization is needed around black identity around the world. ABOMHLABA(THI) is a piece that meets the needs of this complexity every time it is performed in a different space for a different audience. In the words of Musa Hlatshwayo himself: “Indeed, imithwalo isisobhokweni.”
ABOMHLABA(THI) will be screened on Tuesday 1 September at 19:00 (SAST) with a repeat screening at 12:00 (SAST) on 2 September, to stream the performance, visit https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/whats-on-today/ or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
