SESASEDI SA TSODIO / SA KOŠA KE LEROLE: a screening of two film-essays

We are delighted to present a screening of two film-essays by Rangoato Hlasane – Sesasedi Sa Tsodio and Sa Koša Ke Lerole. Sesasedi Sa Tsodio delves into the kwaito DNA and its multiple umbilical cords searches for and celebrates the musicality of leleme la MaAfrika – sonic and phonetic aesthetics of black world making. The character of Tsodio as lyrical fiction/mythology travels through orature and storytelling in black musical and sonic histories of the past, present and future. Traveling banners, thinking and sounding with three locations – Meadowlands, Mamelodi and Mahikeng – serve as backdrops for oral histories with “people as libraries”, on site. Sa Koša Kerole is an interdiscursive mix between an essayistic video, a documentary, an appendix and feature film with elements of the music video, driven by oralities. The main content of the feature length film is a selection of responses from ‘Sesasedi sa Tsodio’ screening tours that took place at the very sites of filming Sesasedi sa Tsodio namely: Mamelodi, Mahikeng and Meadowlands. Join as at Chimurenga Factory (157 Victoria Rd, Woodstock), Friday 15th March from 7pm. Rangoato Hlsane will be in attendance.
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Ubuhle Bendalo Community Arts Festival

We are proud to announce the 2nd edition of Ubuhle Bendalo,“the beauty of creation/nature”,an annual community arts festival organised by multi-disciplinary artist Breeze Yoko in collaboration with pan-African arts platform Chimurenga from 16 – 18 February 2024. Consisting of exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances and more, this year’s edition aims to bring our arts community together by providing a platform for engagement, collaboration and play. It features some of the country’s leading radical creators, including Mzwandile Buthelezi, Loyiso Mkhize, The Ninevites, …  ( continue reading

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A LIVE BROADCAST WITH DAMOLA OLOWADE

We’re delighted to host a listening with Lagos born, Pitori based rapper/producer Damola Owolade on PASS, Friday, 24 November from 7pm. Damola is one-half of the celebrated Pan Africanist prog-rap-folk duo Deep Dive Set, who harness the archaeological function of the hip-hop art form: excavating samples like fossils, fragments of forgotten history resurrected and immortalized by the very act of their discovery. The raw materials of Damola’s production come from sakara, apala, juju, fuji, highlife and other sounds in the …  ( continue reading

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HOPHUIS: A SITE OF DANCE AND SOLIDARITY

The film and pumplet publication Hophuis (both directed by Ilze Wolff) document a series of journeys and activations at the Steinkopf Community Centre in Namaqualand in the Northern Cape. The town of Steinkopf is situated in what was declared a “Coloured Reserve” by the apartheid government in 1948 – previously Kookfontein, it was renamed by German missionaries who settled there in the 18th century. Along with a new name, the missionaries brought what James Baldwin referred to as “theological terror”, …  ( continue reading

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LAUNCHING MINE MINE MINE

We are pleased to be launching a new collection of poems by Uhuru Phalafala, MINE MINE MINE – a personal narration of her family’s experience of the migrant labour system in South Africa. Uhuru will be in conversation and reading with Koleka Putuma. Chimurenga Factory Thurs, 12 Oct. 6pm  ( continue reading

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LIBERATION RADIO: BOKANI DYER’S RADIO SECHABA

As part of our ongoing study of the cultural work of liberation movements in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism, we’re proud to present a rare Cape Town performance of Bokani Dyer’s Radio Sechaba. Pianist Bokani Dyer is an inheritor of the spirit of the music unit of the liberationist, Gaborone-based Medu Arts Ensemble – famously led during the 1980s by Jonas Gwangwa and Hugh Masekala, and featuring Bokani’s father, the saxophonist Steve Dyer. Radio Sechaba continues the search for …  ( continue reading

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EPISTROPHIES

We are pleased to present Epistrophies – groundings with Robin D.G. Kelley and Neo Muyanga – in praise and thanks for the melodious thunk of Thelonious Monk! We’ll also be screening Rewind & Play, Alain Gomis’ brilliant filmic take on Monk’s method. (Read more on the film here.) Saturday, 16 September 2023 from 6pm Chimurenga Factory (157 Victoria Rd, Woodstock)  ( continue reading

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CLASS STRUGGLE IN MUSIC

We are please to invite you to unlaunch two daring books about music in the AfroAsian Seas: Ari Sitas’ Music Notebook (published by Chimurenga), and Sumangala Damodaran’s and Ari’s Maps of Sorrow, (published by Tulika in Delhi). Words and music selected by Ari and Sumi, books will be on sale. Chimurenga Factory – 157 Victoria Rd, Woodstock Thursday, 17 August 2023 from 6pm Please join us.  ( continue reading

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Chimurenga presents AZANIA EP LISTENING SESSION

We are very pleased to host a deep listening of “Azania”, the debut ep of the almighty collective IPHUPHO L’ KA BIKO. Discourse by Nhlanhla Ngqaqu & Tumi Pheko of Iphupho, in conversation w Masixole Mlandu & Zizipho Bam; Selections by Manjik Mak; Word-sound by Tongue Twisters & Kitso Seti. From 6pm at Chimurenga Factory (157 Victoria Rd, Woodstock). Free entry.  ( continue reading

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Chimurenga presents SOCIAL BREATH

In commemoration of the fighting spirit of 16 June 76 we present a once-off performance of SOCIAL BREATH by ASHER GAMEDZE and the BLACK LUNGS, a collective featuring some of Cape Town’s finest improvisers in creative black music, including: Sean Sanby (bass), Nobuhle Ashanti (keys), Jed Petersen (tenor sax), Tumi Pheko (trumpet), Athi Ngcaba (trombone), Garth Erasmus (alto sax), Tina Mene (vocals), Ru Slayen (percussion) and Asher Gamedze (drums) Friday, 16 June 2023 from 7pm Chimurenga Factory (157 Victoria Rd, …  ( continue reading

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