FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

The Future of Work 4th – 8th June 2019

FESTIVAL STATEMENT

Owela Festival is a weeklong festival from 4 June - 8 June 2019 in Windhoek.Themed under the “The Future of Work”, Owela is a trans-national & interdisciplinary festival curated by Kaleni Kollectiv, a collective of Namibian and German artists: Nelago Shilongoh, Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja, Veronique B. Mensah, Esmeralda Cloete, För Künkel, Trixie Munyama, Hildegard Titus and Julia Wissert.

The question on the the future of work is a growing global conversation. While some worry about artificial intelligence taking over jobs that were previously occupied by people, others question the future of labour unions in an increasingly individualistic and self promoting world.

This festival aims to focus at what the future of work may be in Namibia and Germany. Looking at a shared past of violence and exploitation of labour, the different artists envision what the future of work, wages and rest will be.

The programme will feature various artistic performances, dance, installations, films, talks, workshops and interventions in collaboration with local, regional and international artists.

For more information about the schedule, workshops, and performances follow us on social media at @owelafestival on Instagram and Twitter and Owela Festival on Facebook.Entrance to the workshops as well as the performances is free

VENUE INFORMATION:

National Theatre of Namibia -12 John Meinert Street (Opposite Robert Mugabe Clinic)

National Art Gallery of Namibia - Corner of Robert Mugabe Avenue & John Meinert Street

Katutura Community Arts Centre - KCAC Katutura, Leonard Auala Street. Windhoek(Next to Old Okomboni& opposite DYS Diamond Manufacturers)

John Muafangejo Arts Centre -JMAC Katutura, Leonard AualaStreet.(In KCAC complex)

College of the Arts - COTA 41 Fidel Castro Street, Main Campus, Windhoek (Opposite Checkers in town)

Penduka Village Lodge - Goreangab Reservoir off, Green Mountain Dam Road

Goethe-Institut Namibia - 1-5 Fidel Castro Road (Next to Supreme Court Namibia)

Owela Museum - Robert Mugabe Avenue, Windhoek

Email: festivalowela@gmail.com for general inquiries orCall/sms/whatsapp: +264 812 690 505

FESTIVAL PROGRAMMEOWELA FESTIVAL OPENING

THE FUTURE OF WORK

Tuesday, 4th June, 18H30 NAGN, Lower Gallery

Official Opening by Hon. Katrina Hanse Himarwa , Minister of Education, Arts and Culture.

PERFORMANCES

ONDAANISA YO POMUDHIME (odalate naiteke opo kegonga kuye oshigongoti(DANCE OF THE RUBBER TREE

Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja

Tuesday, 4th June, 20H00, from NTN workshop to the Christus Kirche.

A ritual of movement between embodied, spatial and institutional archives. We devise an intimate and immersive queer dance imagined at a Rubber Tree but performed in a concrete archive, the museum theatre. With Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja, Keith Vries, Elisia Nghidishange, Kresiah Mukwazhi, Fellipus Negodhi

MY BODY AS AN ARCHIVE ( Daughter of Molly A body of work

co-narrating performance facilitation, using guided tours as a case study.

Veronique Mensah

Wednesday, 5th June, 18H00/Thursday, 6th June, 20H00, NAGN Lower Gallery Veronique Mensah uses the folk tale character Lena, to take the participating audience through the future of site-specific work within the cultural spheres that are affecting present day Namibia by applying her genealogical and historical standing in the occupation of humanly related spaces. Producer: Veronique Mensah, Co- Narrative, Curator: Nyasha J. Kuchekana- Chirau,, Director: William Mensah, Videography and, Photography: James Jamu, Sound, Installation: Nyasha J. Kuchekana-Chirau, Poster Design: Elrico Gawanab

THE PRODUCTION OF GENDERED SPACE (S): CITY TOUR

Decolonising Space (s) Group

Thursday, 6th June 14H00 – 17H00 Pick up point: NTN, John Meinert Street, Backstage Entrance. @14H00

The intervention uses space as production rather than a product, to dissect gender relations within the production of an urbanising space. The production of space being rooted in the everyday, can be both subjective and collective. Movement, connections and other patterns of interaction linking places to each other make this spatial production possible. The Decolonizing Space (s) Group emerged from a series of discussions at the Department of Architecture and Spatial Planning in the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). The discussions were centred around spatial production in Namibia, looking at it through different lenses: inequality, race, identity, feminism, capitalism, history and memory. With Mwalengwa Hillebrecht, Martin J Namupala, Fillipus Neghodi, Malakia Naholo, Rune Larsen & Natache S Iilonga. This event has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

SÂ (REST)(

Nelago Shilongoh

Thursday, 6th June, 20H30, NTN Backstage

A collaborative performance art showcase engaging on the history of black Namibian women domestic workers and its imprint as continued heritage. Along with the techniques of movement, the interdisciplinary performance features historical archives that make up as part of the conversation. Concept: Nelago Shilongoh & Trixie Munyama, Sound Design: Kboz (NAM), Vocals:Chantel ‘Enchante’/Urias (NAM), Maggy Masango (NAM), Cinematography: Reggie Undjee Zaire (NAM), Visual Design: Victor Nwankwo (USA), Carol Ann Ardolino (USA), Costume: Magrietha Ethelretha Isaacks (NAM), Archival Photos: National Archives of Namibia

FreeYourMind DEAF COMEDY

Chicken Ndemufayo & Sabino Jao Hermanteiro

Thursday 6th June, 21H30, NTN Backstage

An evening of laughter with comedians Chicken Ndemufayo & Sabino Jao Hermanteiro.

This performance has been supported by the National Arts Council of Namibia.

LIKUMBI SEASON

Nandele Maguni (Mozambique)

Friday, 7th June, 20H00 , Goethe-Institut Namibia, 1-5 Fidel Castro Road, Entrance N$20

Likumbi Season is an audio visual performance with midi controllers. It is a journey through Nandeles production, Mash ups, and remixes that he has done over the past 5 years. Likumbi season is when Nandele brings all of his gadgets that he uses for his production to the stage where the public can experience firsthand the psychedelic hip hop atmospheres, very energetic, Bass heavy sound plus the crazy psychedelic and hipnotic visuals done by his band mate (The Mute Band) and long time collaborator Fu da Siderurgia. This performance has been supported by Goethe Institut Namibia.

HISTORIES OF KAPANA

With China Haufiku & Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja

Friday, 7th June, 14H00-17H00, Pick up point: NTN, John Meinert Street, Backstage Entrance. @14H00

A tour and intervention with China Haufiku and Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja mapping histories of Okapana, a Namibian delicacy of urban labour and leisure practices.WATER

With Gift Uzera, Muningandu Hoveka, Joanne Sitler, Chantel /Uiras and Oppas Onucheyo.

Saturday, 8th June, 12H00, NTN Backstage

Water is an abstract experimental performance art project that explores the elements of water in its complexity and tenure. The project suggests a different approach to performance as it incorporates dancers and musicians in a space unaware of each other physically but somehow connected in a cosmic sphere- so to speak, almost futuristic. We are breaking down the traditional performance and audience setting to allow a free-flow of audience placement. Water as an element is embodied and its essence captured through music.

This performance has been supported by the National Arts Council of Namibia.

(Untitled: REDTAPEONBOTTLENECK-On Dictatorship and Other Extreme Tropes of Authority (2nd Crusade: Close Proximity in the very Site of Specificity) – Quoting Arti(

cles, Gazing back, Calling Forth.(

Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana)

Saturday, 8th June, 18H00, NTN Backstage

Bernard Akoi-Jackson is a Ghanaian artist who lives and works from Tema/Accra/Kumasi. His multi-disciplinary, audience implicating installations and performative “pseudo-rituals”, have featured in exhibitions like An Age of Our Own Making (Reflection II), in Museet for Samtidskunst, Roskilde, Denmark, (June 2016); Silence Between The Lines in Kumasi (2015), Material Effects, Eli and Edythe Broad Museum. He also joins a stellar team as the founding curators of the newly established Stellenbosch Triennale which comes off in February 2020.

This performance has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.kapana, a Namibian delicacy of urban labour and leisure practices.

XŪN. – (Things)

Erica Gebhardt

Saturday, 8th June, 20H30, NTN Backstage

XŪN. is a multi-media, multi-sensory performance installation. This collaboration between a range of artists aims to investigate how society deals with trauma, oppression and healing. Director: Erica Gebhardt, Curator: Haymich Olivier, Videographer: Lila Swanepoel, Sound Designer: Saddam S H Munyama, Performer: Trixie Munyama, Vocal Performer: Nesindano Namises, Performers: Performers: Lekenanda Eliakim and Tulimeke Shileka, Consultant: Papa Shikongeni Uungulungu

(INSTALLATIONS/EXHIBITIONS (OWELA THE FUTURE OF WORK EXHIBITION

Tuesday, 4th June, 19H00, NAGN Lower Gallery & NTN Foyer

A multidisciplinary exhibition critically reflecting on cultural labour. Artworks by Fillemon Iiyambo, Lukas Amakali, Sue Beukes, Simon Talento, Franklin Newman, Panash Pieters, Theodore Eberenz, Kortez, Dimpz, Kevanhu Muifi, Prophet, Tangeni Kauzuu, Blend, Kortez, Dimpz, Masiyaleti Mbewe, Ismael Shivute, Saima Iita, Petrus Shiimi, Derek, with Music by George Steyn.

This project is made possible by the National Arts Council of Namibia.

WITHOUT QUESTION

Hildegard Titus

4th – 8th June, Pashuuka, NAGN

Namibia’s history of work has long been tied to racial lines. There is some work that is considered black work, without question. The work of cleaning, building, raising and serving others. This piece aims to explore the intricacies of black servitude in post-apartheid Namibia. Music: Housewives’ Choice by West End Celebrity OrchestraShot by Elago Akwaake and Hildegard Titus

ZULA MONEY

Omitara Youth

4th – 8th June, 15H00-17H00, Lower Gallery, NAGN

One year BIG - In 2014 residents of Omitara received the Basic Income Grant. What has changed through this experiment in the small village and what does basic income in Namibia mean? These questions are asked by the director Julia Wissert - but the answers are given by the young people from Omitara. They document cinematic everyday life in the village, they ask the adults about the basic income, the effects of money and their plans and hopes with BIG. Do people really get lazy when they get paid? Or do new plans and projects emerge? Are new social potentials released when we are free of money worries? Together with the film production Joe Vision, a three-day film workshop took place in Omitara, in which most of the village took part. Team: Omitara Youth, Workshop facilitated by Julia Wissert and Joe Vision CC, Sophie and Joel Haikali & Team and the community members of Omitara.

CORRESPONDENCE ON MIGRATING SEDIMENTS

För Künkel and Renata Gaspar

5th – 7th June, 16H00-18H00, NTN Foyer

A pile of sand is a gathering of several units as well as a repository of various stories. A pile of sand marks a moment in between places, in between states and shapes of being, and in between functions and possible futures. The extraction of natural resources in inextricably linked with the human labour that is invested to move these large amounts of matter. This audio piece is an exploration into the nature of this relatedness and an invitation to go for a walk and take note of what usually remains unnoticed.

Sound: HILDA T, With texts by: Bachtyar Ali ‘Der Letzte Granatapfel’, John Berger ‘The Seventh Man’, Édouard Glissant ‘Poetics of Relation’, Renata Gaspar, För Künkel, Voice: För Künkel, Renata Gaspar, Valentina Karga

(WORKSHOPS(

All workshops and performances are free of charge. If you would like to book space for participating in any workshops, please RSVP at owelaworkshop@gmail.com or reach us on WhatsApp via +264 812 690 505 for more informationWITHOUT QUESTION

A LABOUR OF LOVE I:

A Discursive Performance Workshop with Tongesai Machiri (Zimbabwe)

Tuesday, 4th June, 10H00 – 16H00, Penduka Lodge & VillageGoreangab Reservoir off, Green Mountain Dam Road (For directions and transport needs, please contact +264 812 690 505 via text/sms/whatsapp) This workshop is based on the idea of planting seeds that, as consumers, are something that is far distanced from us, though an important aspect of our food chain. As a farmer this is something that Machiri is directly involved with. He brings the experience of labour involved in the process to this workshop. This is a collaborative (work)shop/ group performance. The participants will be asked to collect seeds via any farming product of their choice identified through retail. Participants will then gather makeshift vases to create a mobile garden as an installation from this.

A LABOUR OF LOVE II(

A Discursive Performance Workshop with Tongesai Machiri (Zimbabwe)

Saturday, 8th June 11H00-16H00, Penduka Lodge&Village

The second part of the workshop is based on assemblage as a labour form wherein each participant is asked to assemble three pieces of found objects. The workshop will include trips to the hardware store in order to collect tools of their choice. This is a performative test of our ingenuities with these makeshift objects.

PRACTICE GUIDE FOR VISUAL ARTS: PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

A workshop with Molemo Moiloa (South Africa)

Tuesday, 4th June, 10H00 – 16H00 at NTN Rehearsal Room

Molemo Moiloa lives and works in Johannesburg and has worked in various capacities at the intersection of creative practice and community organizing. Molemo’s academic work has focused on the political subjectivities of South African youth. She is also one half of the artist collaborative MADEYOULOOK, who explore everyday popular imaginaries and their modalities for knowledge production.

These workshops have been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

RADICAL IMAGINATION: OTTILIE ABRAHAMS, JAKOB MARENGO THE PERSON, AND JAKOB

MARENGO THE SCHOOL

With Koni Benson & Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja

Tuesday, 4th June, 09H00 – 16H00 at Jakob Marengo Secondary School

Bring your radical imagination and come join us artists, history learners from Jacob Marengo Secondary School and members of the Children’s Movement. We will collectively explore and creatively respond to the histories of Jacob Marengo (anti-colonial leader of over 50 battles against German settlers between 1904-1908), Jacob Marengo (the school established to liberate the minds of students facing Bantu Education during the anti-apartheid era), and Ottilie Abrahams (revolutionary, teacher, and feminist who founded the school and continued to apply the visions of Marengo the person to her approach to education for liberation until her passing on just last year).

FUSING THE RHYTHMS OF MAKONDE & ABLETON

A sound design & beatmaking workshop with Nandele Maguni (Mozambique)

Thursday, 6th June, 10H00 – 16H00, NTN Green Room,

Nandele Maguni is a well-known figure in the Maputo music scene and one of the most innovative beat makers and DJs coming from Mozambique. He started in the 90s freestyling to hip hop and as a drummer in hip hop and rock groups. He’s the DJ in Azagala’s band. His debut EP Ärgolas Deliciosas”dropped in February 2019 and features heavy boombap instrumentals, dubstep, trap and psychedelic beats. His debut album titled, “Likumbi”, was released in April 2019.

This workshop has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

EXPLORING SETSWANA MOVEMENT IDENTITY WORKSHOP

A dance workshop with Ona Mogotsi

Wednesday, 5th June, 10H00 -13H00, COTA Main Campus (Studio 40)

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF TRADITIONAL DANCE IN WINDHOEK?

A talk facilitated by Trixie Munyama

Wednesday, 5th June, 14H40 -16H00, COTA Main Campus (Studio 40)

An open public talk for local dancers & performers; traditional, street, pantsula, contemporary etc., arts educators, students, cultural workers, practitioners, facilitated by Trixie Munyama.

THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED

A workshop by Veronique Mensah & Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja

Thursday, 6th June, 10H00 – 16H00, NTN Rehearsal Room

A skills development workshop on Theatre of the Oppressed Praxis. We are interested in facilitating space for skills exchange on Boalian techniques.

This workshop is open for activists, artists, students, educators, community and cultural workers, civil society and trade unionists.

DRAMA THERAPY(CRITICAL REFLEXIVE TECHNIQUES FOR FACILITATORS

A workshop by Esmeralda Cloete, Namibian Drama Therapy scholar

Friday, 7th June, 10H00 – 16H00, NTN Rehearsal Room,

A facilitation workshop exploring critical reflexive methods and applied drama therapeutic techniques in trans-cultural & artistic exchanges. Esmeralda Cloete is a drama therapist in training, facilitator, performer and activist. Through the use of symbolic embodiment, creative expression, metaphor and play, she is interested in challenging, exploring and re-imagining spaces of healing.

Open to arts facilitators, educators, students, community workers & art administrators

POINT(S( OF ELLIPSES... (How to do stuff with the stuff we have)

With Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana)

Friday, 5th June, 11H00-16H00, JMAC Art Gallery

...we may begin with the piece REDTAPEONBOTTLENECK which critiques bureaucracy, then we disturb it till we come up with equally disturbed and disturbing pieces...

On the Piece DisturbedThe idea is to be a bit more playful even in dealing [critically] with the times that we share. The contemporary is our reality and there’s a need for artists and arts professionals to be even more observant, vigilant, politically sensitive and engaged. We need to be concerned with the ramifications of our actions and we need to take responsibility for these. Making a-new: On disturbed MethodologiesBut in doing these we need to be inventive and fun. If most of what we know and practice as Art has become mainstream, if not totally passé, how are we going to deal with this ever bourgeoning field in terms that are adequate enough for our times? We need to evolve new models. We need to start the discourse afresh. But how is this possible? Perhaps un-learning and re-learning the knowledge we know?

This workshop has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

TALKS LUNCH TIME CONVERSATIONS

5th – 7th June, 13h10 – 14h00, Owela Museum Wagon

A space and time for critical feedback and reflection on the Owela festival. Please feel free to join or initiate a conversation with festival artists, crew and curators as a way of engaging and sharing your experience at Owela.

THE LAND AND ME

Screening of short films by Yollotl Alvarado and Tania Ximena based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Followed by an open discussion with

Natache Ilonga and Molemo Moiloa

Wednesday, 5th June, 19H30 – 21H30, KCAC, Boiler House Area

Natache Sylvia Ilonga is a born and bred Namibian black woman, emerging creative architect and photographer-in-progress. Iilonga completed her BAS degree at the University of KwaZulu Natal in 2014 and her masters at the Graduate School of Architecture University of Johannesburg in 2017; presently doing her Architect-in-Training with Nina Maritz Architects in Windhoek, Namibia. This screening and talk has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

A TALK ON THE WORK OF KELEKETLA! LIBRARY

with Malose Malahlela (South Africa)

Wednesday, 5th June, 14H00 – 17H00, JMAC Art Gallery, KCAC Katutura Community Arts Centre

Malose Malahlela is the co-founding artistic director of Keleketla! Library, a project space that presents a legacy of multifaceted cultural presentations: literary, film, music, visual art and other not yet defined forms. Keleketla is a Sepedi word said in the beginning of a story, in response to the storyteller’s “once upon a time.” It is an acknowledgment: “I am here, willing to listen to your story with active participation.” This expression of active listening reflects the mission of Keleketla! This talk has been supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

A TALK ON THE CULTURAL TABOOS SURROUND(ING MENTAL HEALTH CARE WORK IN NAMIBIA

Thursday, 6th June, 17H30 – 20H30, NTN Rehearsal Room

This talk has been supported by the Goethe-Institut Namibia.

HOW HAS THE CONTRACT LABOUR SYSTEM AF(FECTED THE NAMIBIAN WOMEN(S ROLE IN WORK

AND WORKER ACTIVISM?

A talk on how the contract labour system affected the Namibian women’s role in work and worker activism.

Friday, 7th June, 17H30 – 20H00, NTN Rehearsal Room

This talk has been supported by the Goethe-Institut Namibia.(

A TALK ON THE BASIC INCOME GRANT: THEN & NOW

Saturday, 8th June, 14H00 – 17H00, NTN Rehearsal Room

This talk has been supported by the Goethe-Institut Namibia.

CLOSING PARTYOwela Festival Closing Party come and celebrate with us!!! Everyone is welcome.

8th June, 22h00 NTN Backstage

PARTNERS

Owela - The future of Work produced by the Kaleni Kollektiv in co-production with the Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, funded by the TURN Fund, a programme of the Cultural Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany.In co-operation with the Goethe Institut Namibia, the National Arts Council Namibia, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and the National Theatre of Namibia.

TURN Fund, a program of the Cultural Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen Rosa Luxemburg Foundationtak Theater Aufbau KreuzbergNational Theatre of NamibiaNational Arts Council of NamibiaGoethe-Institut NamibiaNational Gallery of NamibiaCollege of the Arts of NamibiaOkorukambe Constituency Namibia (Omitara)Jakob Marengo Secondary School Penduka Trust Namibia

PRODUCTION TEAM

Produced by the Kaleni Kollectiv in co-production with the Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen,

Production Managers: Lavinia Kapewasha , Jenny Kandenge, Zindri Swartz and Isabell Höckel

Project Manager:Sabine Reich

All workshops and performances are free of charge. If you would like to book space for participating in any workshops, please RSVP at festivalowela@gmail.com or reach us on WhatsApp via +264 812 690 505

for more information.