How is the festival?

This years National Arts Festival has taken people by storm. Many have travelled far and wide to see the spectacle which is ‘fest’.




“This is nice. I’ve enjoyed the outdoors a lot and I haven’t really seen any theatre.” Thozamile Douws. Festival visitor.



“We’ve been here for two days and have seen some really nice shows and some amature ones as well. A really nice production was Spitfire.” Simone and Molly. International students studying in PE.


“Hhayi, kuhamba kakuhle, siyazama nathi nje.” Zanele Hambaze, Grahamstown.

“I find this festival to be a one sided one. It’s difficult for everyone to express themselves here and only the well known are enjoying themselves. We need an innovation whereby everybody is prepared to compete.” King Zoro. Photographer, Durban.




Check out the rest of the National Arts Festival here.

Anele Ngwenya FJP

Pics: Moagisi Letlhaku

Stunning art work

A beautiful painting by a South African prisoner on display at the National Arts Festival. Pic: Selina Bebaako-mensah -FJP

Home sick

I feel bad for saying this, but I’m home sick. I miss my daughter so much. Being with the FJP members (who are my friends now) has been great.

Like the last time, we really had fun. In April I was wishing we could stay longer, now I can’t wait until I get home. Maybe in September I will be crying wanting to stay, hoping we could come back next year. Since we have each others contacts we can plan something around that.
The fest was great. If it wasn’t for the allowance that we got, maybe we would not have enjoyed it as much. Thank you Moagisi.

Till we meet again.

Andile:http://www.motivatedjournos.blogspot.com/

Festival Fever in G-Town

With just three days left of one of the biggest Arts festivals in Africa, festival goers shared their feelings about the festival.



"Its good, very nice. I love all the arts, bringing all this in a national festival. I think it is very important".

Will Marbury
Baltamore, United States.



"So far it's brilliant. I’ll definitely be back again next year with my husband because I left him at home".

Judith Fisher
Cape Town

Chwayitisa Nandisa Futshane-FJP

National Arts Festival...show it dont say it

The National Arts Festival 2009,held at Grahamstown in the Easter cape of South Africa has been a great event so far and its has really been a huge one as creative people from different parts of the world came to showcase what they've got.

Tshotsho dance by Xhosa group from Grahamstown

The energetic dance

the Festival reveals the beautiful cultural heritage of both the South Africans and the visitors

The official opening of wordfest 2009

It not all about the adults,but its also give the plateform for children to unleash their hidden potentials

Kids doing what know how to do best

If you are not here,never worry,because next year's Festival is going to be bigger and better...

What a Festival it has been...

Check out my blog

Okosun Peter

Pix:Okosun Peter

Piercing in G-Town

I made a life altering decision today, to get a second piercing in my ears. Okay so it may not be life altering, but it was the most liberating experience of my life, where I willingly inflicted pain upon myself for the price of beauty.

One of the reasons I have always been reluctant to get a piercing on my own terms (and not on my mothers), was because I was and still am afraid of infections which are life threatening, I mean really losing my ear would surely be a life altering experience. I did however decide to educate myself a little bit on the dangers of piercings, so I feel a little better knowing that if I clean my ears properly, then everything should be just fine.

All in all I am proud of myself for taking the plunge.



Chwayitisa Nandisa Futshane-FJP

How is Festival?

“It is interesting because it showcases talented people. It is busy here and they are showing beautiful fashion, paints, sculptures and beads. That is what we are expecting to see at the festival not the normal stuff we always see anywhere.” Kolly Tom and Anelisa Bingwa from East London.

“It is good and better in terms of quality and prices. It is also bigger since they have expanded it to Rhodes.” Thembisa Khonza from Joza Township, Grahamstown.

“It is boring and we only enjoyed the Flea Market this year and we are leaving for East London today as a result.” Craig Smith and Tamryn Brink.

**

Pix: Masebe Qina- FJP

A dance group preparing to do their 'thing'

Neatly dresses in traditional attire and ready to wow the small crowd gathering to see them. Pic: Selina Bebaako-Mensah FPJ

Check out the size of my head!

A giant puppet performing at St. Peter's lawns with some people looking on. Pic: Selina Bebaako-mensah

About to bid farewell

From all corners of South Africa we met again for an excellent workshop.

Two days to go and we will be leaving Rhodes University and returning to our various universities.

The Future Journalists Programme Winter School has been the best!

Just like the Autumn School in April, we still get along and we're very excited about doing things together. We all wonder how Moagisi (FJP co-ordinator) was able to choose people who get along so well. You did a good job Mo! Thank you.

To Sim, thank you for being a wonderful tutor. You took your time which you didn’t have (or maybe you had it?), to work with us and help us. Thank you a million times.

To the foreign students who have just joined us, you should come back in September because you're good people and we want to see you again.

Thank you future journos for making it to Rhodes again.

See you all again in September.
Nadi:http://www.siqaloesihle.blogspot.com

How is festival?

Two more days left and the National Arts Festival will be over. Today I conduct a vox pop amongst two people to find out how they feel about the festival so far and the following is what they had to say.

Sbonelo Mgilane, Umthatha. The festival is wonderful. The whole atmosphere is lovely and there is so many people around.

Selba Buckland, Soweto. The festival has been very nice. I also like the place becuase we can walk at night and and nobody worries us. Many of the shows are also good to watch.

http://amagugu.blogspot.com/

Jane Mathebula

How is the Festival?

It’s only two days before the end of the National Arts Festival. People from all over South Africa (and abroad) have been in Grahamstown since 1 July 2009.FJP Reporters have been around asking them this how Fest is going:



Damlon Rushton, Port Elizabeth: Well it’s been great. I haven’t been here for four years. I like the new Village Green. It’s very spacious.




Chimwondo Muzondo, East London: It’s been good, I recommend the Shwarma place for food.

Pix: Zukiswa Sidzumo

How is Festival?

As the National Arts Festival is coming to an end, there are still loads of activities going on in Grahamstown as some Festinos are just arriving while some had already gone.
Meanwhile, vendors are making sure they make quick sales before the festival ends.
This writer took a walk to the city of Grahamstown to ask the Festinos on how they are enjoying the festival.










Its good, we’ve been here for one day, but we thought we were going to get something more.
Oyama and Buntu from East London








**

Am not enjoying it, the festival is very quiet this year and business is not moving
Mohammed Ndewe - Cape Town.






It is bad for this year comparing it to years before, because we don’t have customers. We reduce prices for customers just for us to get money
Chatty Kanyanya from J'burg.



Okosun Peter



Pix:Okosun Peter

Real men dancing

Zulu dancers giving an energetic and fantastic performance on High Street during Arts Festival. Join them if you can keep up with their stamina.

Pic: Selina Bebaako-Mensah-fJP

How is the Festival?

The National Arts Festival is in its 8th day today and it seems like the festival is only beginning. People have come from different places in the country to enjoy the diversity of the festival. The streets are buzzing and people are enjoying themselves. Today the FJPs went to the streets to find out from people how the festival is for them.

This is what they said:



















“It’s been a wonderful, great experience. I recommend shows like “Who to trust” and “Who's to blame?”. Said Mahlako Mothema, from Polokwane.





















“It has been a learning experience. The Arts Festival gets you exposed to the different kinds of art. There is so much to do here. I’m enjoying it”, said Bonisile Mgabhi from Johannesburg.

Ongezwa Ndlakuse- FJP

How is Festival?

Yandiswa Tembani from King Williams Town.

The shows are good and the Village Green is in a clean place than where it was before. But the new site of Village Green it's like is for rich people and in an old site, that is where you will find people from townships. Some people don’t even know where is this new site is, which is not good for the festival.

Benedict Kivitts from Cape Town.

In terms of shows it is good but it’s expensive for locals. If they can organise free shows or streets theaters for those who can not afford.

by Bongani Mthethwa FJP

How is Festival?

Marlene Emslie (Stall holder at Village Green, in Grahamstown) : “The change has been good, even the people are happy with the move because now people can move around. It's airy and it's much better than last years. I mean when we were there we didn’t complain and since its moved here is much better.”

**

Twyla Spiller said: “I’m really here for the Jazz, but so far it’s been great. I feel inspired by the music from International artists yesterday night.”

Ayanda Sibisi and Philile Ntimbane: “It’s so much fun here. It’s a relaxed, calm and the people are so friendly. This place is not busy like Durban. It’s laid back.”

**

Chido (R): “It's fun and cool, but you know students can’t afford by the stuff here. We don’t have the money.”

Picx: Selina Bebaako-Mensah - FJP

Text: Amanda O Mathe - FJP

Gauteng young star's

From the left; Nompumelelo Buthelezi-poetry, in the middle; Nozipho-Solowist and Amonette Pereira.
These Divas were performing at Grahamstown art festival this year. And listening to them was an impressive experience. If you missed this performance you really don’t know what you’ve missed.

By:Lucky

FJP Winter School has been fest of words and pictures

The Future Journalists Programme Winter School appears to have been a good one.

All 18 students have been updating the FJP Twitter account almost every hour (which is warp speed at the Fountain Labs!)

They've also been producing copy like crazy.

A big thank you to Highway Africa and Rhodes Journalism for making this happen.

I am very proud of Prof. Guy Berger, Chris Kabwato, and Moagisi Letlhaku. It's they who have made FJP possible.

Thank you, thank you.
Sim

Don't leave your passport at home!

So I am walking down High Street in Grahamstown checking out National Arts Festival.

Suddenly, my street vendor friend is surrounded by six police men and women. I ask what all the fuss is about. The vendor opposite him—he’s a Ugandan whose name I didn’t catch— tells me the police wanted to know whether my friend was in South Africa legally.

My friend is Emeka Okusons, a Nigerian who came to South Africa specifically for the Festival to sell jewellery and make some money.

As the Ugandan and I are talking about Emeka’s problem, a police officer comes over and starts speaking to me in isiXhosa. “I am sorry I don’t speak that language,” I say.

“Oh I’ll have to see your passport then,” she says. Luckily, I am carrying my passport for the first time since I arrived on 3 July. I hand it over to the officer—H. Janesha. After looking through my passport, she’s all nice asking questions like “so this is your first time here?”; “are you enjoying yourself?”

I thought to myself, “Is that an irony or what?” I go to investigate someone’s immigration status and the police turn on me for my own immigration status. I breathe a sigh of relief and head to the Absa Bank branch on High Street to change some money.

At the bank, I am at the back of a long queue. Finally, it’s my turn and the cashier takes my dollars and my passport.

“What are you doing in South Africa?” she asks.

“Where are you staying?”

“What is your address in SA?”

It went on and and on. She made a copy of my passport and then gave me SA Rands.

My two encounters with SA officialdom happen back-back and stress me out completely. I start to think that maybe the Rainbow Nation that I’ve fallen so much in love with is not that nice to foreigners especially black ones. This is because I notice the police are only stopping and checking the status of black foreigners, yet I can see many more white people walking by without being hassled.

All confused, I go back and speak to the cashier about why she had to ask me all those questions and photocopied my passport. I just can’t comprehend why I had to go through all that just to change money as this is not done in both England and Ghana where I grew up.

The nice cashier lady tells me it’s procedure and that South Africans go through an even tougher process.

Alas! I feel better and start to fall in love with South Africa all over again.

By: Selina Bebaako-Mensah