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Not sure how I feel, not sure what to think. I am so grateful to be here with my mom right now. I am amazed at the synchronicities that brought me to be here, and the story that has been (and still is) unfolding so beautifully. And my sculpture that is being woven alongside, intertwining all our lives with amazing metaphor and symbol . But this morning, from about 5.30am, I found myself cuddling next to my dad as his heart slowly fluttered to a halt. We think he had died a little while before in terms of brain death, he was so white and still, but his heart still prevailed. It was a peaceful passing. No more does he fight for every scrap of breath that kept him alive. But I feel so deeply sad.

Last night, I finished weaving the shape of the figure for my sculpture – what’s that? Dad had asked me just a few days ago. ‘It’s the shape of a body traversing the void, in the flow of the unfolding energy of creation’, I told him. Like it’s showing us how to navigate transitional spaces. On our back, arms softly to the side, head facing the direction of the flow – a position of total surrender.

In your philosophy, he asked me, how do I navigate this? Indicating his extreme laboured breathing and rapidly failing body. The challenge of facing the unknown, and the anxiety that came with that.

‘You surrender to the flow’ I told him. You notice your experience with curiosity, without judgement, one moment at a time. You practice the muscle of mindfulness. And I showed him how. And you know what? He tried it. Doggedly. Often stopping between breaths to clarify a point. ‘I practice being ok with how I’m feeling?’

I think I helped him let go, without realising that what he was letting go of was his attachment to his life, and his body.

Last night I finished weaving the figure. He kept asking – are you finished it? ‘Not yet, dad, ten centimetres to go still.’ Then… ‘I’ve finished!!!’ What’s that thread sticking out there? He asked. That’s to wrap around the join when I install the finished piece.

‘Oh.’

Then we had dinner, got ready for bed. ‘Love you!’ I told him. Me too he said. I mean I love you too, he joked. See you tomorrow, I said.

Tomorrow became today… and today we….

Said goodbye as he left his body to traverse the void.

It is with deep respect and honour that I share this with you, for my dad and for the exquisitely beautiful gift of life (and death) that we are given. These pictures are a reflection of how much I love my dad, always will, and how much gratitude I feel to have the relationship with him that I do. And my mom. It is in deep gratitude to the magical universe that I traverse with all its quirks and depths, that I lay down on my back and ride the waves of experience, in surrender.

#throughthehollowlog

Sit with me, close your eyes… This mission in Africa is a six week trip to facilitate the unfolding of a creative project called ‘Sit with me, close your eyes (Breathe).’ Imagine creating an art piece through the course of three festivals while teaching and demonstrating weaving techniques. Three very different festivals – a Kalahari desert culture festival, a consciousness festival and… Afrika burn. Bushman culture, contemporary spirituality and then… art in the desert, where the piece will be installed as an interactive art piece.

The installation will consist of a life-sized figure, woven from natural fibres, sitting cross-legged with hands on knees, staring out to the distance. A sign with the word “breathe”, written in wood, will be positioned directly in line with the figure’s (and the viewer’s) gaze, about eight to ten metres away.

Alongside the figure will lie a number of woven mats/cushions as an unspoken invitation for viewers to actively participate in the artwork. The name of the work itself will serve as a worded invitation (Sit with me, close your eyes). Tibetan bowl and /or bells and possibly a didjeridoo will accompany the meditating practice by providing clear and focused sonic cues.

Participants will be invited to weave additional mats for them sit on next to the sculpture, too.

I’ve had the armature made, an inner frame, a core. It’s been to the Kalahari already with me. Well, the legs have, anyway! The idea is that it goes to these places and grows as it travels, the more people it meets, the more it grows and changes. And I take photos of it as it changes and becomes whole.

Right now, I’m sitting in a place called Waterval Boven, at Michael Tellinger’s Stone Circle retreat, getting ready for the inaugural Ubuntufest. It’s going to be wild! Mind-opening, definitely. Art, music, consciousness. ubuntufest.org.za. Fibre sourcing and harvesting tomorrow is on the cards, in Michael’s old Corolla. Then… to find the local traditioanl weavers if they are here, and to organise the setting up of a weaving area for the festival.

Come with me on my journey, in pictures and words. Lets share the growth together.

Jamie recently spent a week on the Sunshine Coast in a project organised by Rene Bahloo, of Weavery. What a beautiful experience it was to share time with this traditional knowledge holder from Arnhem Land and to learn about the making and playing of the didjeridoo. They call this ceremonial instrument ‘ganbark’ in the central arnhem Dalabon language, other names are yidaki, bambu, muhgool and just plain ‘stick’. It is made from the naturally termite-hollowed trunk of a particular species and shape of eucalyptus tree, then sanded and shaped to length for the level of sound desired. Jamie Ah Fat learned to play the ganbark from ceremony leader David Blanasi and the traditional cultural group White Cockatoo, and had his debut at the first Barunga Festival of indigenous culture in the early 1970’s. White Cockatoo were the  group of traditional knowledge holders and ceremony men who had travelled all the way to London in 1970 to play for the queen of England, on her birthday. David Blanasi was known for many years in the Arnhem Land region as the mago style didj master, and his crafting and playing skills were legendary. Jamie inherited much of the knowledge he holds through ceremony and through the mentoring of his maternal grandfather, Fred Blitner.

This cultural sharing project with Jamie Ah Fat is the first to touch our Sunshine Coast shores, and served as a taster for Jamie who is fuelled to share his knowledge before he leaves this earth and his knowledge gets lost.

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

An amazing thing happened during the course of our workshops – an impromptu collaboration/ music jam between Jamie Ah Fat and Velvet Pesu (singer and performance artist), a weaving workshop participant present on the day – just listen to this Please enter the url to a YouTube video.! And it then became a performance at the Powerhouse in Brisbane, which resulted in this! Please enter the url to a YouTube video.

We are happy to discuss future projects and collaborations in order to bring this experience and knowledge to your community.

Please enter the url to a YouTube video.

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

 

29 July 2016

 

INVITATION TO THE 4TH ANNUAL KALAHARI DESERT FESTIVAL TO BE HELD FROM THE 23rd to the 25th September 2016

 

Kalahari Desert Festival is an annual forum for the celebration of Indigenous African culture and dissemination of knowledge in the Northern Cape, South Africa.

 

We would like to extend an invitation to Rene Bahloo of Weavery to present a talk/workshop at our academic venue titled ‘Weaving with natural fibres in Australia and Africa’ at the 2016 festival.

 

Please let us know if you will be able to attend.

 

Regards

 

Hennie Swart

Founder

SASI

 

 

Background and Objectives

 

The Kalahari Desert Festival (KDF) is run by the South African San Institute

(SASI), an independent NGO, which has been in existence for 17 years. SASI

stands as a support organisation to the !Xun, Khwe and ‡Khomani Communities

in South Africa.

 

The cultural heritage of indigenous people has become a global concern.

However, in Southern Africa, the descendants of the region’s ‘First People’, the

San or Bushmen, are among the most marginalised. While the Bushmen and

their descendants exist on the fringes of society, elbowed out by culturally

dominant groups, there is a profusion of academic work and stories being told about the First Nations. These stories and publications hardly ever make their way back to the people who are at the heart of it all. In some of the areas where SASI works, people are completely bereft of effective, modern communication.

 

A feasibility study conducted by SPACE (Smart Partnerships in Art and Cultural

Enterprises) lead to the idea of the KDF being adopted by SASI. The main

objective of the KDF is to uplift the Desert people, especially indigenous

communities and to create social cohesion. The annual festival will be hosted by SASI on the property of the the ‡Khomani San in the Southern Kalahari.

 

The product consists of a three-day desert festival held annually with main and side events programmed for the duration of the festival. The festival site is in the

Kalahari, in and around the //Uruke Kalahari Bush Camp established by the San

community on their community land.

 

The aim of the festival is to represent the convergence of Music, Art, Dance,

Craft, Custom, Culture and Heritage of Desert People and portraying the life

of Indigenous people. It thus celebrates the understanding and the diversity

represented by the life and environment of desert people across the continent. It

has the potential to facilitate and inform social, political and cultural discourse

on relevant issues such as desertification, globalization, poverty, etc. It also can

make an enormous contribution to the economic, infrastructural and

developmental elements in order to showcase the work of the San – linking all

the projects SASI is involved with, from the arts and craft and theatrical

production to song and dance as well as food.

 

The Kalahari Desert Festival is an annual event on the calendar of festivals

within the province of the Northern Cape, South Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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