Inkombulo kanye nefa kuhlangana njengoba iJOMBA! ivula umkhosi wayo wokuqala wedijithali

Inkulumo yokuvela ebusuku nguMqondisi Wezobuciko weJOMBA! Dr. Lliane Loots (ihunyushwe nguLisa Goldstone)

Namuhla kusihlwa, ngalesi sikhathi — ekuqaleni kwe-22 yethu JOMBA! Umkhosi — ezweni elibhekene nobhubhane, wonke umuntu abheke phambili esikhathini esedlule kwe — COVID 19, isikhathi lapho sinalo iselapho, isikhathi lapho kuphephile khona ukudansa nomunye, isikhathi sokugona… Ngizothatha lo mzuzu ukuze ngibuyele emuva ngenkumbulo. Ngokuvamile sitshelwa ukuthi inkumbulo yethu ayinakwethenjwa, ukuthi ukuchitha isikhathi esikhathini esidlule kusifisele umlando ongakhunjulwa ngaphandle kokudideka kwanamuhla.

Sifundiswa ukuthi inkumbulo ingeyalabo abangaqinile, kulabo abenqaba ukuphila njengamanje nalabo abangakwazi ukucabanga ngekusasa. Sifundiswa ukuthi inqubekela phambili imayelana nokubheka phambili. Ukuqhubekela phambili kokududuzeka kokukhululeka, kanye nokwenziwa Ngcobo kokuningi (ukuba nokuningi nokuningi)

Namuhla kusihlwa ngiphinda ngibe nombono wokubhala kabusha kombhali uToni Morrison lapho ekhuluma ngomzamo wakhe — ngomsebenzi wakhe wobuciko, ukubhala kwakhe — ukufaka esikhundleni futhi kuncike kwimemori esikhundleni somlando, ngisho nomlando wesimanje. Ugcizelela ukuthi njengowesifazane omnyama angeke futhi empeleni akufanele, athembele umlando orekhodwe ukumnika ukuqonda ukuthi ungubani. Njengoba inkumbulo yomuntu siqu enjalo iba ubuciko bezepolitiki bokuvuselela ukulandisa okuhle komlando wethu, wobuzukulu, bohlanga nokuthi ngubani “ofanelana”.

Njengabenzi bobuciko nabadansi futhi njengabasebenzi bezamasiko, ukuthatha uhambo oluya kule Ndawo yokudala, inkumbulo iba yindlela yethu yokuzulazula kanye nokufana kwethu kwenqubo esebenzayo yokwakhiwa kabusha nokuba. Imemori iyaphila, iyasebenza. Njengoba uToni Morrison asho: “Umlando uqhathanisa inkumbulo nememori nokuqhathanisa nokukhumbula okuncane. Ukubuyisela kabusha inkumbulo njengokuphinda uqoqe futhi ukukhumbula njengokuphinda uhlanganisa amalungu omzimba, umdeni, inani labantu besikhathi esedlule.”

Inkumbulo ihlala emzimbeni womdansi. Ukuphinda siphinde sihlanganyele futhi sihlangane kwenzeka kwezepolitiki yemzimba yethu ehamba futhi elandisayo enamagama athi “izindaba zakhe”. Kwabadansa, inkumbulo yisenzo sokuvukela emlandweni owatshelwa futhi waphinda watshelwa yi-nyembamba, phambili lokuqala ukuqhubekela phambili kwinguqulo eyodwa yekamva lethu.

Lonyaka JOMBA! 2020 ifikile lapho ijika lesikhathi sokufunda lesimo sethu samanje lisicele ukuba sicabange kabusha lendawo yenkumbulo. Ngenkathi sihlala endaweni naseNingizimu Afrika, okwamanje, asisakwazi ukuthinta esiteji noma estudiyo, iJOMBA inqume ukunikela ngohlobo oluhlukile lwebhondi ngenkumbulo.

Simise izigaba eziyisikhombisa ezikhethekile zomkhosi wethu wedijithali futhi wonke abheke emuva kulokho uToni Morrison akubiza ngokuthi “ukuhlangana kabusha kwamalungu omzimba”.

Akuvamisile maqondana nomdanso wanamuhla (ngokuqinisekile e-Africa), abadali bomdanso abanikezwa ithuba lokubuyela emuva bayohlala futhi nomsebenzi owedlule. Ezindleleni zethu ezingapheli zokusinda, siphoqelelwa njalo ukwenza Umsebenzi omusha ukufinyelela kwizimali ezintsha. Asinikwanga isikhathi sokuphinda sikhumbule kabusha izinkumbulo ezindala zomdanso. Lezi yizindaba zomdanso ezijule kakhulu ezishiywe emuva njengoba siphoqwa ukuba siqhubeke siye phambili. Manje ngoyaka wayo wama — 22, iJOMBA! uthathe isinyathelo sokubuyela emuva ekubeni yilungu kabusha. Simeme abadlali abenzi bemidanso nezinkampani zomdanso abebalulekile emlandweni weminyaka yethu engu-21 ukuthi bahlanganyele umsebenzi wokudansa ngesenzo sokukhumbula.

Sihleli endaweni yethu iLegacy Platform, sibheka emuva emsebenzini yomdanso yesikhathi samanje siding a ukuthi sazise ezepolitiki yokubuyela ekhaya okubonwe kabusha — yokwazisa inkumbulo yohlu lwendlu nefa.

Ukwenza isibonelo ngicabanga uGregory Maqoma “Exit/Exist” othatha uhambo lokubuyela emuva kuye ngokwakhe “ukuhlangana kabusha kwe… umdeni” (ukusebenzisa amagama kaToni Morrison) emsebenzini obuyela kokhokho bakhe phambilini cacisa ubunzima bendawo yakhe, kanye nomhlaba wethu, wesimanje. uMaqoma uvuselela inkumbulo.

Ngicabanga, ngokwesibonelo, ngesolo likaGermaine Acogny “Somewhere at the beginning” adansa ngalo lapho eseneminyaka engama-73. Kukhombisa inkumbulo yowesifazane, umAfrika kanye nesiqalo somdansi…

Esithangamini sethu sezingxoxo, sisungule isikhala sokusebenzisa abenzi bomdanso abane abalulekile emhlabeni jikelele omsebenzi wabo uphila ngokomphakathi, ngokwesiko nangobuciko ubheke phambili kodwa kuphela ngezinkumbulo zokuzibonakalisa okuvumela izindlela eziningi zokucabanga ngezepolitiki wa “manje”.

o Isiko namagugu kaVincent Mantsoe, aqhamuka eNingizimu Afrika kanye naseFrance, ahlangane nesayensi yokwenza amafilim.

o U-Ondiege Mathew waseKenya udlala ezombusazwe ezihlanganiswe eNairobi.

o uJürg Koch waseSwitzerland usebenzisa izinkumbulo zakhe zomdanso ukwakha isibopho sokudansa sedijithali esazisa umlando wokukhunjulwa.

Futhi,

o uThemba Mbuli, waseNingizimu Afrika, ulandelela izitho zomndeni wesilisa ukukhombisa ifilimu lomdanso elisha eJOMBA!

Ngaleso sikhathi emlandweni wethu eNingizimu Afrika lapho umdanso uqubule khona futhi nabadwebi babulawa yindlala, kungasaphathwa ke ukuswela ukuxhaswa kukahulumeni kwezimboni zethu, iJOMBA kusanenjabulo enkulu ukuthi unikeze umsebenzi kubenzi basendaweni ba-KwaZulu Natal. Ukudansa kwabo kwedijithali kuzobhekwa namuhla ebusuku futhi kutholakale ukubukwa ku — JOMBA! yethu iwebhusayithi kuwo wonke umkhosi.

Ngithatha isikhashana ukuhlonipha laba badlali abashubile base Thekwini nabasePietermaritzburg abalwa kanzima ukwenza lomsebenzi kusuka esiteji kuya kwesikrini futhi wakhe umsebenzi osondele kakhulu futhi omuhle ozobuka kulobubusuku.

Yonke lemsebenzi eyisishiyagalolunye igaya “ukusondelana kokuzihlukanisa” okuhlala kuphila esikhathini se — COVID. Bahlanganise inkumbulo yomuntu nokusinda. Amafilim amafushane awakhiqize anesibindi.

Namuhla kusihlwa, ngibona umbono wowesifazane wezwe wesibili ozibiza ngaye, uChandra Mohanty waseNdiya, ngokuqonda kwakhe okunamandla ngesimo sezimpi zabesifazane emhlabeni.

Uveza ukuthi ngenkathi iNyakatho/iNingizimu kanye nabacebile/abampofu behlukanisa futhi imininingwane ethile yemibhalo eyenziwe ekhaya kwenza kube nzima ukuthi abesifazane bakhulume ngobudade bonke. Lokho akunikezayo kungumqondo othokozisayo wesikhashana “somphakathi ocatshangelwe”, okomzuzwana uhlanganyela “ukuqonda okuvamile ngomzabalazo”. [1]

Namuhla kusihlwa, kulo lonke uhlobo lokunqamula okubandakanya iNyakatho/iNingizimu noma iMpumalanga/Ntshonalanga, ubuhlanga, ubulili, ikilasi, ukukhubazeka, ubulili kanye nazo zonke izindlela zokuzazisa — ngithotshisiwe ngumphakathi wesikhashana wabasakazi beJOMBA, ababukeli bomdanso, ababhali bomdanso, nezazi zezobuciko ezabelana Nami umongo ojwayelekile womzabalazo oyindawo enikezelwe (ngalesi sikhathi futhi njengendawo eyamukelekayo yokubamba) ukugcina ukudansa kuphila ezinhliziyweni zethu, imicabango yethu futhi okubaluleke, kuzibuyekezo zethu kanye ngezinkumbulo.

Ngiyakwamukela kwezobuciko zakithi ezingama 2020 JOMBA!

o Deeply Rooted Dance Theater evela eChicago

o BODYART Dance Company evela eNew Orleans

o Introdans ezivela eNetherlands

o Anita Ratnam waseNdiya

o uMusa Hlatshwayo was eThekwini

o Adedayo Liadi waseNigeria

o uGermaine Acogny yaseSenegal

o uRobyn Orlin waseNingizimu Afrika naseGermany

o U- Ondeige Mathew waseKenya

o uJürg Koch waseSwitzerland

o uVincent Mantsoe waseNingizimu Afrika naseFrance

o uThemba Mbuli waseKapa

Ngiyakwamukela abahloli bethu be-USA Dance On Screen nabenzi befilimu abahlanganyele nathi umsebenzi wabo.

Ngiyemukela uVal Adamson umbukiso wakhe obonakalayo weminyaka ezu21 yomdanso omuhle wezithombe zeJOMBA yiyo kanye inkumbulo ebopha “ukuhlangana kwethu kabusha komzimba”.

Ngiyakwamukela ababhali bomdanso kanye ne JOMBA! KHULUMA elivela eLondon, eChicago naseThekwini.

Ngingathanda futhi ukuthi ngizinikeze isikhathi sokubonga iqembu labantu abahlala nami futhi bangifundise ukuhambisana nezikhathi.

· Ngiqala ngokubonga u-Ismail Mahomed, umqondisi omusha waseCentre for Creative Arts. Ngimbonga ngokungisekela kwakhe okungapheli, ngezindlela ezintsha futhi ikakhulukazi ngomusa wakhe omkhulu.

· Ngiyavuma iqembu leCCA elisisizile ekutholeni iJOMBA lapha kusihlwa, kakhulukazi uYenzi Ndaba.

· Ngiyaqhubeka nokubonga iNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali kanye neKolishi Lethu Labantu ngokuthola umbono wokuxhasa nokukhulisa isikhungo sezobuciko.

· Ngibonga uWesley Maherry, uDhesan Gounden noMahomed Sheik ngokwenza ukuthi kube nokwethulwa kwedijithali kwe JOMBA!

· Ngibonga uSharlene Versveld ngentshiseko yakho nemikhuba yokuziphatha emikhankasweni yemikhankaso yakhe yokuvezwa kwabezindaba esekele ukufinyelela okubanzi kwalo mkhosi.

· Ngibonga uClare Craighead ngobuholi bakhe ngokucophelela beJOMBA! KHULUMA bhulogi.

· Ngibonga uDavid Tatanelo April, uSmangaliso Ngwenya noTiny Mungwe ngokunakekela okukhulu esinqumweni sabo seJOMBA! FRINGE.

Okokugcina, ngithanda ukubonga (futhi ngiqhubeka nokubonga) inxusa laseMelika lapha eNingizimu Afrika futhi ikakhulukazi isifunda saseMelika esifunda eThekwini ngokuba ngabalingani bethu ne JOMBA! ngo2020. Ngokunakekela isidingo sokubuyela emuva ezindleleni kanye ngezinkumbulo zezinye futhi nezobuciko “zokuhlangana kabusha kwe… labantu besikhathi esidlule” (ukucaphuna uToni Morrison).

Ngiphela kusihlwa ngamazwi kla-Arundhati Roy avela enkolweni ayibhale ekuqaleni kwe-COVID yaseNdiya evaliwe futhi amazwi akhe, ngiyakholelwa, akhulume nobunzima bethu obuqhubekayo ngoba inkumbulo yangempela akuyona nje umlando wokukhunjulwa yisiko elivamile. Uthi: “Izingqondo zethu zisadidizela emuva naphambili, zilangazelela ukubuyela esimeni esijwayelekile, sizama ukuhlanganisa ikusasa lethu kusikhathi sethu esedlule futhi senqaba ukuvuma ukuthi kuqedwe. Kepha ukugqekeza kukhona. Futhi phakathi kwalesi simo esibi sokuhlaselwa, kusinikeza ithuba lokucabanga kabusha. Akukho okungaba kubi ukwedlula ukubuyela esimeni esijwayelekile. Singakhetha ukudonsela izinsalela zezinzondo zethu nokuzonda, ukuhaha, amabhange edatha nemicabango efile, imifula yethu efile kanye nesibhakabhaka esinentuthu. Noma singa [Funda ukuhamba (noma ukudansa) futhi] kancane, unesisindo esincane, ulungele ukucabanga ngomunye umhlaba. Futhi ulungele ukuwulwela.” [2]

Kwangathi JOMBA! 2020 kukhumbuza ukuthi yini okufanele siyilwele: kubaculi, abadansi kanye nabadwebi bezingoma abaphethe izinkumbulo zethu.

NGIYABONGA!!!

[1] Mohanty, C., Russo, A. & Torres. L. Eds. 1991. Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

[2] Arundhati Roy: ‘The pandemic is a portal’ Copyright © Arundhati Roy 2020