[category]
[title]
The People’s Theatre in Braamfontein is not playing about Heritage Month this September. In the spirit of remembering where we come from to know where we are going, the child-centric theatre will stage adaptations of various works by Mama Gcina Mhlophe.
Her literature has been translated into all 12 of South Africa’s official languages as well as German, Japanese, French, Portuguese, Kiswahili and even Braille.
Resurrecting the forgotten African oral literature
Mama Gcina will not be the storyteller this time as she explains that she was approached by the theatre with a request to use some of her work to create a beautiful children's production titled IMAGINE AFRICA: Our Stories Brought to Life, to celebrate African oral literature from 15 September till 4 October.
The theatre’s artistic director Jill Girard said nearly 10 of Mama Gcina’s books will be transformed into a theatrical spectacle, and these include Golden Windows, How the Lion Got His Roar and Horns Only.
Being recognised internationally is one thing, but when it comes to her home country, the author wishes to see a South Africa where young people take ownership of some of our cultural heritage.
“In some of the schools they don't even sing the rhymes and rhythms we used to sing. I have met people who don't even know the song Nampaya Omame, they have never heard of it.
“But if you say The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round Round and round and London Bridge is falling down they know these nursery rhymes and they start to sing along,” she lamented.
Down memory lane with Mama Gcina Mhlophe
This reminds me of singer Zawadi Yamungu’s Woza Wemvula which was released last year and is derived from a nursery rhyme of the same title.
Upon first encountering it, I found myself reciting the words, and feeling a pang of guilt that I had not engaged with this part of my heritage since my own childhood.
Mama Gcina shares how some parents she encounters while living life, often have recollections of her visiting their primary schools when they were kids, and I’m one of the parents who grew up consuming her storytelling on a 1990s children’s show called Kideo.
View this post on Instagram
“Some have said they recognise my voice and are excited to put a face to it. That’s because I wasn’t only on TV. I was telling stories on Umhlobo Wenene in isiXhosa on some days, and on others I’d be doing isiZulu to Ukhozi FM,” Mama Gcina recalls.
This production by the People’s Theatre coincides with the 25th anniversary of her literacy campaign, NOZINCWADI Mother of Books. The campaign started with Library Boxes which delivered books to underserviced schools, eventually transformed into full school library renovations, introduced the Nozincwadi International Storytelling Festival and subsequently an award-winning podcast.
Mama Gcina’s storytelling was the perfect fit for the theatre this September as this is not just Heritage Month, but also National Literacy Month.
What this means for the theatre’s young audience
Children’s theatre at this particular venue has always been interactive, and this won’t be any different. It’s going to be in a participation theatre format, which means every single child in that theatre in one way or another will take part in the show.
Jill believes it’s important for the young ones to understand that these stories are accessible, and says the production maintains Mama Gcina’s storytelling dynamics.
“We've tried to keep them as authentic as possible, sticking to the originals as much as we can. She writes very much with dialogue because when she tells these stories, you are just captivated and the dialogue is very real,” Jill explains.
She echoes Mama Gcina’s sentiment about the preservation of oral storytelling, saying for the purposes of raising awareness, some of the books will be on display at the theatre.
View this post on Instagram
She wants the kids to see that these stories originate from books, they're stories that are passed down, and that they're stories that we can play with.
“Some of the stories are about people and some are about animals. But all of the characters are something that every child and even adult will identify with,” says Jill.
This work is a reminder that among the many things that the theatre and Mama Gcina’s storytelling have in common is the educational element of reminding children to treat others with respect and kindness.
- What: IMAGINE AFRICA: Our Stories Brought to Life
- When: 15 September to 4 October
- Where: The People's Theatre
- Cost: Tickets R245-R180 on Webtickets
Follow Time Out Johannesburg on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram! While you're at it, sign up for our newsletter to receive even more of the best of your city.
TIME OUT JOHANNESBURG RECOMMENDS:
📍 The best things to do in Johannesburg
🏨 The best hotels in Johannesburg
🍽 The best restaurants in Johannesburg
🛏️ Where to stay in Johannesburg
📢 Latest news from Johannesburg