inkanyiso.org

By: Lerato Dumse

I had been given a heads up before leaving home that I should bring a blanket, fortunately for me it was already packed in the car. The drive to Eastern Cape was interesting but the weather decided it was not to be outdone. I think I traveled during one of the coldest weeks of 2023 because everyone on social media was crying about the cold. Thembela “Terra” Dick kept jokingly mentioning just how dry and dusty we looked and I had to laugh because she was right, she started a lot of conversations with “mfondini sixwebile.” 

On my third day in Mount Frere, I had settled in as best as I could. Soon after waking up Lindeka Qampi came to our room and invited me to a walk to take pictures next door. She explained that our neighbor is one of the longest surviving members of the community and she has arranged a photo shoot with him. “Try and write notes on your phone Lerato,” said the hardworking and caring Qampi. Neighbour in Mabhobho was different from the typical neighbour I’m used to. It was so different for me having a neighbor who is about 10-15 minutes away. It reminded me of the television advert by Vodacom “Molo Mhlobo Wami.”

Nelson Mandela is one of the best world icons. A man of peace who loves children and an education supporter. During this visit we learned how colonialism, Apartheid and Democracy changed their community dynamics. Afrikaans speaking community members have opted to leave because the school that taught Afrikaans was shut down. Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga have earned themselves a spot in the worst south African education provinces. Mpumalanga with their matric copying scandals and Eastern Cape with their red colored tents that are meant to be classrooms. During this visit I learned how a community member built a school for Afrikaans speaking kids and how it was neglected to the point that the school needed to be closed down. This contributed to the exodus that has taken place in the community with people going to seek greener postures in other places, mainly Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape. When I heard that the donated school had been converted to a Tavern, I wanted to be judgmental but quickly reminded myself that the black Government should have built something since they came to power 29 years ago. 

After the informative conversation Qampi started her photo shoot documenting all the beautiful antiques in the house, from head boards to cupboards, windows, chairs and mirrors. From the outside all you see is a mud house. However, from the inside you get to appreciate the furniture. What a big house with multiple living spaces with good quality furniture. Many people have relocated to seek greener postures and better economic possibilities. This has resulted in a new way of life of seeing people growing old alone adapting from a communal way of life. 

The eye has never been friends with calculating distance. When mam Lindeka pointed at the house and asked me to follow her I thought it’s going to be a walk in the park but it felt like a run through a park. I had to hike up a mountain and jump across water to reach this neighbor.

Soon as we returned home Ayanda Mqayaki took us for a walk to one of the best spots, the river stream. We were in a very rural village where everyone knows everyone. We were warned of a community vulture, a man who has been targeting the community and travels with his dogs. Apparently, he’s not scared to set the dogs on his victims and use them to escape after robbing someone. So we didn’t stay long in the river but listening to the water flowing was so soothing.

By:Wakhe Sebenza

Maybe there will come a time where we shall do away with tags such as _“female”_ or _“queer”,_ a DJ can be just a DJ without mentioning their gender. This can only happen when women are more evenly represented in these male dominated spaces and the end of heteronormativity. The struggle of equality is real and visibility is very important in order to draw attention to the fact that we have women in this space or we have queer people in this space too. 

Lesego Magwai is an Activist who is passionate about equality more than anything else, She is well know as *Queen of Hearts LesG* for her energetic upbeat DJ sets. She says the name Queen of Hearts comes from the kind of music she plays, music that touches hearts, music that heals. She has been in the industry for 14 years,  the journey hasn’t been smooth for this DJ, being a female DJ is a struggle on it’s own, it’s a double-trouble when on top of that, you add that you are queer. “When we should be fighting for spaces that say you need to be great to be in this space, we are fighting for equality,” says Magwai_

She comes from a great family of love, that’s where she gets her power, that’s where she gets her motivation, _“my family is great, anything you love, we love it with you, anything you are passionate about, we are there with you”_ Born in Ga-Rankuwa, north-west of Pretoria with other 4 Siblings, she later moved to stay with her grandmother in Mabopane and from there to Atteridgeville, she says her life has been basically about moving, meeting different people and experiencing different things which contributed to her being the self-reliant person she is today. _“I had to teach myself to not getting too attached to other people because I kept moving from one place to another”_

Lesego has always known that she belongs in the entertainment space, even back when she was working for a Non-Governmental organization, OUT- LGBT Well-Being, it was only a matter of time and figuring out what exactly she could do within the entertainment space. _“Some of us never grew up having role models, all you know is yourself, what you want to do and that you need to be better_”. Upon figuring out what she could do within the space because there was no role model, there was no reference, she did drama, she loved stage performances, she can now be seen in stages turning tables. 

She believes in _“giving it your all”_ in everything she does, _“you have to get into a space, do what you do and be great at it”_ This is how Lesego was discovered by other event organisers for Bookings, She started attending events where she was not even booked, she would show up looking all clean and proper, carrying a CD bag, she would tell the bouncers I’m playing here and they would let her in easily. When she got inside, she would make sure that she at least gets 15 minutes  and make the most of that 15 minute set. 

Later when bookings started to pour in, when she should have been celebrating, it saddened her to be in spaces where she was told you are the first female DJ to play here. We see that with a lot of events posters where 90% of the lineup is made of Male DJs. _“As a Black Queer Activist DJ, it is very important for me to show up in spaces, be queer and be proud, that’s what we need to do and become one. Another challenge of being a queer artists is being booked only on Queer events that happens only once a year, and brands that show up only on Pride Month for the hashtags when Queer artists have the rest of the year to survive.”_ Get into spaces, let them know you exist, you not going anywhere and you are great at what you do, we are living queer history, we are creating queer archives, that’s what we are learning from Lesego Magwai. 

Catch Queen of Hearts LesG on the socials:

Facebook- Lesego Magwai 

Instagram- lesg_queen_of_hearts

By: Mbali Pearl Zulu

Ten Days in Paris

Paris is much more than a picturesque backdrop for romance. It is also known as the ‘City of Lights. You can rest assured that if there is one place that can nourish the soul of a lone traveller, it is Paris. If the opportunity to visit France’s fabulous capital arises for you, I would say take it. I was recently in Paris for the first time, on a solo trip.   I am presenting my travel diary with things I did during the ten day duration of my trip in Paris 

My trip diary of Paris

When I woke up in the morning, I had with mixed emotions. I felt all the emotions – excitement, confusion, sadness, cold – all  sorts of emotions. This was because it was time travelling anywhere without my wife. Our plans to travel together had been thwarted by visa decision we received on the 26th of April 2023. This was very heart breaking and disappointing for us but my partner supported me in the decision to fulfil one of my dreams/goals.

She helped me to pack my bags, documents, artworks and related art materials. I felt so blessed to have her as my own. This was an emotional day for the both of us such that we decided that she was not going to accompany me to the airport. We could not bear the pain.

At 11:00am we requested a Bolt (rideshare) and I bid my good byes. I was a bit stronger than her.  She cried. I must say that reality hit hard when I got to the airport.  When I looked on my right hand side, she was not where she normally walks or sits. I longed to hear her voice, but all I could hear were different voices in different languages.  Everything felt loud. That’s when I could not hold my tears. I cried and people were staring, but I did not mind them.  I was on the phone with my wife who was also in tears.  Soon it was time to board. 

I prayed and told myself that all would be well.  I had a layover in Ethiopia and the airport was buzzing with many travellers.  I have been in a few airports, but never saw so many people who were  travelling at the same time. It was noisy and buzzing with energy. I was so ready to board my next plane. My layover lasted for four hours and we departed 00:30: I was on my way to city of love, Paris.  I was looking forward to learn more and explore art and museums.  Actually no one knows this besides my wife but my maternal grandfather’s name was Frances.  He then named my dad France and I always found this very fascinating growing up.  I promised myself that I will one day visit France. I said to myself “It’s the 2nd of May 2023 and we are here.”  I had come full circle. 

I landed safely in Charles de Gaulle airport and was so exhausted from the long flight, but could not wait to explore the place. After disembarking I was looking up at the boards and most, if not all were written in French. I never panicked but told myself that I would make it out this airport without getting lost but before that I connected to the Wi-Fi, very quickly and checked in with my loved ones that I landed safely. I then searched for the keywords and translated them to English, I followed the signs on the board until I went past customs and collected my luggage.

I went outside and waited for the taxi and I thought it was going to be cold outside the airport but it was otherwise.  The driver who took me was friendly and started to say something in French. I just smiled and responded that I only speak in English. It felt good to hear him reciprocate by speaking back in g English.

He assured me that I should not worry about the cold weather as Paris was a warm city.  He even informed me that schools were on a two week break and so traffic was better.  To me it looked very bad.  On our drive to the Duo hotel, I saw various works of art. This place was beautiful to me. I saw and felt the beauty. The buildings were unique and beautiful, you can tell that the architecture was from many years ago. 

I observed many people walking to their destinations, bicycling, taking the bus, getting on the trains and others using cars. I caught myself amused because I noticed everything was on the left when it came to cars and driving in France.  It felt weird and like we were doing something wrong. The turns felt so wrong and driving on the right side of the road felt totally wrong.   Seeing the sitting arrangements inside other people’s cars felt awkward, but it was a fun drive. We listened to jazz music and I appreciated that.

By the time I arrived at the hotel, it was warm and that made me happy. I met Flavien who welcomed me and assisted me with my booking as well as showing me where my room was. All I needed was a long hot shower. When I got into the room I was disappointed by the fact that there was no hot water.  I took a cold shower after enjoying breakfast which fortunately for me, was still being served.  I took a nap and then got ready to prepare for MEP show. Flavien picked me up and we walked to the MEP. We met Malebogo,  South African artist who won the 2022 Gerald Sekoto award.

We walked into the space and it felt so good to see and experience Prof. Muholi’s work on those walls. As I walked into the space, lots of emotions were evoked. It felt like I was back in South Africa where the hate crime rate is high. I thought of all the lost members of LGBTQI society. People’s lives were lost because of hatred. It will always be painful. We engaged with the conversations and showed each other’s others point of views. It was a fruitful gallery visit. We then went to Malebogo’s studio. It was big and spacious. Malebogo offered me a space to work and I was excited.  I then had to leave and prepare for the next day. We walked back home. I knew I would enjoy this place because of all the walking. It keeps a human in shape. When I returned to my hotel room hot water had been restored so I took a shower, ate some fruit  that I got from the reception in the afternoon, drank water and fell asleep peacefully.

2 May 2023

At 08:35am, there I stood around, glaring at the foreign street signs, in a city that I had only dreamt and read of. My heart was pounding against my chest so hard the person down the street could have felt my excitement. The first step outside of the hotel made my eyes brighten like the sun’s rays, as I gazed out at the city that I would be happily calling home for a week. Paris was a new adventure that I was going to be able to experience all by myself,
 

My eyes darted around, bouncing off the buildings, to the people and the traffic. It was like something from a movie; there were cars zooming in every direction and the buildings were absolutely breathtaking. This city was nothing like I had imagined.  In fact it was better than I could have ever dreamed it would be.  My grin stretched from ear to ear as I struggled to take in everything that this city had to offer. Every step I took it was like being engulfed by this fine city. 

The feeling was indescribable. It was so busy with not just the traffic but because various activities were happening everywhere – from the pop-up baguette stalls, the side street buskers, historic buildings, and the beggars sitting on each corner. The little puddles that coated the rustic sidewalks, made everything reflect, against the ground. Even from the surface I could marvel, at the beauty, I was surrounded with. The foreign language oozed through, caught in the summertime Parisian breeze. I couldn’t understand a word but at this stage I did not even mind.  I was just drinking it all in.

Everything was a further insight into the city. Every step I took it felt like I was getting further and further away from home, but oddly enough, I loved everything about it. .
I stood in awe at the remarkable mixture of history and the questions that were flooding my head. I also caught myself admiring the fact that I was actually here at this time and how many people my age had had the same opportunity. 

03 May 2023

On this day I woke up, said my morning prayers and started a painting in my hotel room. Flavien called and requested a conference call. Prof. Muholi joined the call. We were all connected and spoke about the itinerary, funds and the reasons I am here in Paris. Straight after the call I took a warm bath and had breakfast.I then prepared to go to the studio and Malebogo was already there. I brought my artworks and we had a 

critique session. It was a fruitful one. We then discussed the weekly plan and how  we were going to work on an artwork. While working on that she told me how she got to win the ABSA l’Atelier Gerald Sekoto award. She told an
 inspirational story and I also inspired her with a few life lessons and she was inspired. It was then time for me to go back to my hotel room.

I had bad period pains. Luckily for me, my wife had packed supplies for me in case I start my flow while away from home.  When I got to my hotel room I made myself a hot cup of mint tea , called my wife and slept. I had to end the day because when I am menstruating, I cannot function properly. These unfortunate pains were only made worse because I woke up with painful case of ulcers.  Thankfully I now know how to treat these. I also decided I would take it it one day at a time. I was so grateful to be there and vowed to make the most of this trip.

I was feeling much better the next day when I woke up. I was ready for some more sightseeing after having some breakfast. This day was reserved for exploring and learning more about the French Impressionism in Paris. It’s one of my favourite painting styles, and I am in love with that era –  the Bohemian lifestyle and the culture at the end of the 19th century. I decided to take a tour around town and saw this brush shop which to me as an artist, was heaven. Everything I could ever need as an artist was there.  Every brush and every paint was available and I was just lost for a moment.  That’s how excited I was to be in that shop. I bought a few items there as I am currently busy with a portrait. I wanna leave Paris knowing that I have worked , knowing that I have made an artwork whist in Paris. I also want to learn more about the Impressionist painters that used to live and work there.

Some streets and houses still looked the same as they did at the end of the 19th century. I could almost imagine carriages strolling through those streets and music coming from the small cabarets, that would pass whilst watching Romeo and Juliet. There is something special about strolling in the streets of Paris.  You live and breathe the arts at every corner and alleyway that you pass through.  It gives one a sense of living.  I found the Arts in this place  extraordinary .

The most special place for me was the house where Vincent and Theo van Gogh lived together during the two years Vincent spent in Paris. The painting Van Gogh painted while looking through the window of that apartment is displayed in the Vincent Von Gogh Museum in Amsterdam . One day I will visit Amsterdam  so that I visit this place.  Next  stop is the Louvre Museum where the original painting of Mona Lisa is displayed.  Allen Ginsberg once said, 

“You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden.” 

Paris was established over 2000 years ago and is therefore a very rich city in terms of history and culture. I believe it is not only beneficial for people to know their own history and culture but also those of other countries and cultures. I will be informing you about the history of some monuments there like The Louvre and Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch), the culture, and the languages spoken there. The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world. It was never intended to be a museum as it was originally built as a defense fortress by Philip Augustee, the king of France, in 1178. This was built to protect the Parisians from incoming attacks that were coming from other foreign countries. Then around 1360, Charles V reconstructed the museum into the royal palace of France. For around 2 centuries, the Louvre was home to French royalty, ambassadors and servants. 

Then around mid-15th century, King Louis XIV began the construction of the palace of Versailles and left the Louvre as the royal home. Within a 100 years from then, the French revolution happened and it was then when the Louvre was transformed into a museum. On August 10th, 1793 it officially opened up to the public with an exhibition of 537 paintings. This was significant because it was the first anniversary of the French monarchy’s fall. .

4 May 2023

On this day I woke up, did some reading, took a shower and had breakfast. I had period pains – one of the worst I ever had. I needed to urgently go to the pharmacy to get some medication. I then went to an art supply shop to get some material. I was so excited to start a painting. I came back to the hotel, took some medication and started painting. I was planning to do this painting since I was back home. I just needed to leave Paris with at-least one complete painting. I worked throughout the day.

In the evening I needed to go for a talk at the MEP. I was so excited to go there, I didn’t even mind the language barrier. I arrived at 18:30 and people were already coming in. I just needed to observe their reactions and interactions. This exhibition is big and different. This exhibition is educational, this exhibition will make history. People were so engaged in talks and discussion. I could see the emotions in their faces, their body language showed that the photographs were hitting somewhere. I am saying this because I have seen some of the photographs before, but it never hit this hard. Each and every time I view Zanele Muholi’s work, it feels like the first time. I just got into a moment and my emotions were triggered. I believe that’s what art is supposed to do. I took photographs and had to leave. I must say that the curator did a great job in putting up a show like this one. I went back to the hotel to continue painting.

05 and 06 May 2023

Lerato Dumse arrived and it felt good to have someone with me from my motherland in a foreign country. We spoke before she left South Africa for Paris. She couldn’t wait to come through. When she landed, she texted and got an uber to the hotel. We had breakfast and caught up in my room because she had arrived early in the morning and her room would be available later on where she refreshed herself and then we went to la MEP.  When we got there, I saw the excitement from everyone who came to see the Zanele Muholi exhibition.

We did not have to stand in the queue since we were there to work.  We advised the reception that we were there for work and were advised to go through. Looking at the exhibition for the second time, gave me goosebumps all over again. It felt like the first time I am seeing the work. I just saw Muholi’s work being exhibited in one of the greatest museums in hundred years to come. I just saw a future. Different discussions were held by a different group of people. I could not understand what they were saying, but could see the engagement in their eyes. We then left the gallery early, because Lerato had just arrived and she was still exhausted from the travelling. We retrested to our hotel rooms.

8 May 2023

It was on the 8^th of May 2023 when I woke up feeling better from the period pains. I decided to book a ticket to visit Musee de Louvre. I was excited about this one because I was going to see the historical paintings and statues. I went online and fortunately enough tickets were still available. I bought one for myself. I got ready, had breakfast, put on my big jacket and left. I reloaded my ticket when I got to the station. I felt a bit warm but had to keep my jacket on because I did not have a bag with me.

After buying the ticket, I went straight to the subway. I was now getting used to using this train. I was more confident. This was a straight forward trip. I did not need to change platforms to connect. I got off at de Louvre station. It took me directly to the museum entrance. I looked around hoping to see long queues, as people were saying that the museum was always full and there are always long queues. I was so lucky because there were no queues  to enter the museum, I just showed my ticket and entered.

I had goosebumps when I entered the museum. I saw  marble statues and almost cried tears of joy. I have been to museums and saw artworks, but this right here reminded me of how I wanted to study visual art in Paris but could never afford the fees and accommodations. I remember I applied and got a response with the quotation and it was unfortunate because the fees were too steep for me. This reminded me of how I was interested in international art, especially French art.  Most of the statues and paintings I saw and analysed, were artworks that I learned about in my university days. It felt so good to actually see and smell the paintings. I felt blessed because I know it is not everyone who will get to see the artworks live. 

One of the historical paintings were the frescos by Alessandro FILIPEPI, dit BOTTICELLI, Florence, vers 1445 – Florence, 1510; This is the Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, and the Three Graces Presenting, Gifts to a Young Woman, Fresco, about 1483-1485, Painted for a bedroom on the first floor of the Villa Lemmi (Chiasso dei Macerelli, Near Florence). This felt like heaven to me. The quality of these frescos were remarkable. The older they get, the more beautiful they become. I learnt that some of the artists of the Renaissance spent their lifetime only painting one piece. This reminded me of dedication and having a vision in doing something.

As I was walking around. I saw this huge room with lots of people. I got curious and stepped into the room as well. I saw people taking selfies with a certain painting and I realised that it was the famous Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci. I stood in the long queue also just to get to the front. It was a beautiful experience. I then continued with analysing the artworks in the museum and realised that this experience was motivational for me. I had started a painting and was inspired to continue and paint like never before. I got reminded that whatever it is that I paint or create today will last for years.  Other generations will learn from my works.

9 May 2022

It was was Tuesday morning and most of the Paris galleries are closed on Tuesdays. I woke up and prepared for my checkout from DUO hotel. I was booked until the 9 May 2023.  I packed my bags, took a warm shower, had breakfast and went to the reception to checkout. It was all done and I waited for Lerato Dumse to come checkout as well. She came through and then had to wait for the check-in time, this was for the hotel across the street. We waited for about two hours. We did not feel the time because we were having fruitful conversations. 

We then had to walk to the hotel during this beautiful and rainy day. We got to the hotel, changed into dry clothes and then I advised Lerato that I needed to go for the Eiffel Tower , that was part of my weekly schedule. She was so excited and requested to join me. I was also happy to have someone to come with. 

We made our way to the Eiffel Tower by subway. When we got there, the queues were extremely long. People wanted to get to the top. I am not a fan of heights, but I needed to do this for experience. At first I was excited to climb, the stairs, but it got scarier as I approached the cashiers for for the purchase of tickets. Luckily when we got to the front, we found out that we were in a queue to go to the top with elevators and not the stairs. I got relieved a bit. I got excited again when approaching the lift. I could feel the adrenaline. We got to the top and I saw the beautiful city. This was one of the best views I have ever seen. The construction is one of the best. The uniformity is out of this world. I was still scared of the heights but felt the goodness of experiencing the second level of the Eiffel tower. We took photos and got the chance to look through the kaleidoscope. We then went down and waited for dawn.  We wanted to take more images and then went back to the hotel to rest.

10 May 2023

Last day in Paris, the city of love. I could not leave the city without visiting the museum with one of my favourites – Vincent van Gogh housed in the Musee d’Orsay. I woke up in a rainy day and told myself that I was still going no matter what!  I got in the subway train and had a long walk after disembarking. It was a bit farther. I secured my ticket and stood in a queue and wondered about all the rain that was falling. I ended up buying an umbrella as almost everyone who was in a queue had one. I realised that I needed one as well.

When I finally got inside, I saw this huge structure.  The museum is extremely big. There were humans all over the place, buzzing with excitement. I saw how art unites people from different countries, different races and different beliefs. At this point in time we were all speaking the same language.  That of art. Musee d’Orsay has a huge collection of artworks. Some of the post impressionism artists featured in this museum are Vincent van Gogh and Gauguin. I got fascinated and could not wait to experience the work. As I walked through, I got to experience the live drawings from learners. Schools go to the gallery for projects and exercises. Students choose sculptures of their own and do live drawings. This was interesting to watch. Finally when I got to Vincent can Gogh’s work, I felt that all is well. I realised again that it is not everyone who gets to experience such. I felt blessed all over again. Just to sum the whole thing up, my trip was remarkable, interesting, educational and experimental, I got to meet different people and made contact.

I am grateful and thankful.

The Louvre, in the 21st century, is now owned by the French government. It holds over 380,000 objects and displays 35000 works of arts in eight departments that stretch over an area of 60,600 square meters. The museum’s collection includes Egyptian antiques, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, paintings and drawings from various artists and other artifacts from French nobles. The painting of Mona Lisa by the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci is housed here. Growing up that used to be a favourite painting. 

I could not believe that all my dreams were coming true with just one trip to Paris. Who would have thought that me, a whole Mbali Zulu would travel to her favourite country? I’m so grateful. Thank you!! Ever since traveling overseas, I always wondered what it would be like to speak a different language, to grow up learning different customs, or to live in a completely different way than I do now. This past few my dream finally came true. 

Side note: The importance of the Mona Lisa

“The Mona Lisa could mean so many things and is surrounded by speculation, which is why she is famous and why she is valued art. Not only has the reason why the Mona Lisa is valued changed over time but, the Mona Lisa herself changed dramatically over the three years of her conception. Change and the ability to change — the ability to be perceived differently at different times enables a piece of artwork to be timeless. Intention is a valuable part of art work; not only the artist intention but, the observers intention when they are observing the art”

Returning home

As I was packing my bag, the zip broke and I had to think of a plan fast.  I bought some pliers and fixed it.  I requested an uber ride and the gentleman came through very quickly and we went to the airport. We spent almost two hours in the traffic. Fortunate enough I was early for my flight.  I arrived safely at the airport and waited to board. I couldn’t wait to go home and see my loved ones.

Highlights of the trip

• To see two of my portraits, by Zanele Muholi at la MEP

• To visit France (This has been my dream since I was little)

• To see the Mona Lisa by Vincent van Gogh

• To see the Sunflower and starry night by Vincent van Gogh

• To visit and climb the Eiffel tower

• To actually make a painting in Paris

Budget

• There was no straight budget submitted to Muholi

• R5000.00 was deposited into my account on the 04^th May 2023

• R10,000.00 deposited again and I paid R4878.47 towards Lerato Dumse’s room

• On the 9^th May 2023 R5000.00 was paid into my account again

• According to this report, my average spend, per day was R500, this was including meals, transport

   museum visits and entertainment

Improvements

• Write a daily plan and stick to it

• Write a budget and stick to it

Continues

• Communicating regularly

• Waiting daily reports

• Never stop learning

• Build networks

Fun fact

• I enjoyed listening to French conversations even if I did not understand them

Overall, this trip made me realise that planning is important, if we had planned things thoroughly then we would’ve traveled together but next time we will plan accordingly and do things by the book.

I am thankful. 

By: Lerato Dumse

On July 16 2023 I received a text message from Muholi asking if I am keen to go to Mount Frere to report on the ongoing PhotoXP project. Having had conversations with Muholi expressing my interest to be in a different space from where I currently reside, which is at home in the east of Johannesburg I jumped at this opportunity. 

I immediately contacted Charmain Carrol who is one of the facilitators and in whose home the group was traveling to in Mount Frere. By the next morning which was a Monday I woke up early to start preparing for the trip. Charmain said I could take a taxi or bus and I would be picked up in Mount Frere town to get to her village known as Mabhobho.

I contemplated using public transport but eventually I opted to drive myself. I reminded myself that part of the reason I got this particular car back in 2019 was because I have a huge interest in doing road trips and CoVid with lockdowns prevented me from traveling. I checked google maps to see what the journey entailed. The furthest I had driven was KZN which is about 7+ hours mostly on the N3 route. I’ve been to KZN by road many times so I know what to expect. Eastern Cape from Gauteng was my first time and I will admit I was a little nervous but I was not about to let the nerves stop me. Maps said from my house to Mount Frere was just under 11 hours and the first part of the journey is on the N3 as if I’m traveling to Durban. That put me at ease. I prepared the car, got a new battery and did some diagnostic work and was ready. 

I could hardly sleep on the 18th thinking about the journey ahead of me. By 2am on July 19 I was up to complete my packing and packing everything in the car. Around 5am I was in the house saying goodbye to my mom, while the car was idling ready for the road. I always enjoy experiencing the start of a new day, its usually so quiet, it makes me feel like it’s just me in the world and the birds that are always chirping during those hours of the morning. To see the start of a new day while on the road also has its own effect on me. I was so excited experiencing daybreak. 

One thing I’ve learned since I started driving is that the rules that are set up on the road are not thumb sucked but actually work. For instance, when they set a speed limit if the road is empty, it might feel like they are making you drive slowly but when there is traffic then I’ve found that automatically you will find yourself driving at the set speed. Same with the rule of stopping every 2-hours. I know some people pride themselves with being able to drive non-stop for 5 hours but I always find that at around 2-hours I do need to stop and stretch and that’s exactly what I did during this trip.

During my pit stops I would give regular updates back home and to the crew I was going to meet up with telling them all was smooth. It was during the day, nice and bright after I had exited N3 when all of a sudden there was this fog. I was confused unsure what’s happening. I thought is it a veld fire? There was no smell of smoke. By this time I had to drive very slow with hazard lights on. Then it started drizzling and it was so hard to see ahead with no safe place to stop I just had to keep driving. When the fog started clearing and I breathed a sigh of relief then came the trucks, speeding and just being bullies. That moment was scary because it was clear they rule those roads and just don’t care about other motorists. I was thinking about all these terrible truck accidents because these truck companies like to cut corners and have unroadworthy trucks on the road or sometimes overload them compromising safety. By this time, I was already behind on my driving time but kept saying to myself, better late than never arrive.              

Road works said we also want to be part of your experience. Having to wait for long while traffic is open for the opposite direction needed patience because there was nothing I could do about it. The journey continued and I lost GPS signal, a big lesson for me that I should have taken screenshots of the destination as backup. I found myself driving unsure if I’m going in the right direction. Then I was in need of a petrol station for what seemed like eternity of driving with reserve tank in the dark in an unfamiliar place. Eventually I started seeing lights from a distance and as I turned a corner there was a petrol station. It was a beautiful sight until I realized its closed. A security guard approached and told me it will only open the next day at 7am and gave me directions to another one not far. I asked about a B&B and there was one just around the corner. So I opted to rather stop for the night and continue my journey the next morning.

GPS was working fine the next morning and when I checked it said I’m in Umzimkhulu which is about 2 and a half hours away from Mount Frere. I was still in good spirits looking forward to making it to the crew so everyone can relax knowing I’m safe. I’m glad I opted to stop for the night because the road is narrow and full of curves, approaching it with fresh eyes during day light helped. Eventually I made it to Mount Frere and waited to be picked up so we drive to the village. 

Charmain and her nephew Anele arrived and after running a few errands it was time to head home. I have seen Charmain post a lot of pictures about her home so I had an idea of what to expect. When we arrived, it was a sweet moment reconnecting with Terra Dick, Sibahle Nkumbi and Lindeka Qampi. I also got to finally meet the animals Charmain and I have chatted about from the cats, dogs who also have cute puppies, pigs and chickens. The landscape provided the tranquility I had been craving for. Far from the city, no sound of cars or even neighbors. Just beautiful silence with a peaceful view. I settled looking forward to the coming days of skills sharing with another chapter of PhotoXP for me.           

By Lerato Dumse

It was on April 7 2017 when I first met Mpolokeng Phahlane. We were in Daveyton for the first day of PhotoXP training. Zanele Muholi who is the founder of PhotoXP had decided to give Collen Mfazwe and I the role of being facilitators of this new group of trainees. First day involved introductions and when it was Mpolokeng’s turn she was soft spoken yet articulate in talking about herself and interest in art. After Muholi gave the aspiring photographers cameras, we spent the next couple of months having meetings, going on shoots together and holding crit sessions to review the captured images. 

Later that year we formed a new connection when she became a member of Faces and Phases, a project that I am a participant of and was also a coordinator. I was saddened when I saw posts on social media with messages of condolence and RIP accompanying an image of her. It had been a while since we had been in touch but seeing those posts brought back the memories of the time spent with her. With every new information that came through it became clearer what a loss it was to the LGBTQIA+ community and art fraternity in South Africa. To have someone born on 28 January 1988 pass away on February 7^th, less than two weeks after their 35^th birthday, says we have been robbed of a South African youth who was talented and surely still had lots to offer.      

So, on a cloudy Wednesday morning February 15 2023, I left my home in Kwa-Thema to St. Albam Anglican church in Sgodi section in Daveyton to join family, friends, the community and church members to bid farewell to Mpolokeng. As I’ve come to learn when a LGBTQIA+ member is not killed in a hate crime, there is usually no commotion at the funeral. No opportunistic politicians taking over the program and handing out party T-shirts as we witnessed during Dudu Zozo’s funeral or NGO organisations falsely claiming the victim as a member and comrade. After the church service we then made our way to Crystal Park Cemetery to lay Mpolokeng to her final resting place. The sun had come out as it was already around noon. The emotional short service of scripture reading and lowering of the coffin took place with loved ones shedding tears and comforting each other. There was much singing while men and lesbian friends began covering the grave with soil. The LGBTQIA+ community also got the opportunity to pay tribute and say farewell to Mpolokeng by singing songs that we usually sing whenever we are gathered. After the tombstone was erected and final prayer said we all made our way back to Mpolokeng’s home. 

I spoke to a few people who knew Mpolokeng asking how they will remember her and below are their responses. 

Her partner Charmaine “Shasha” Matlhole said: “I remember Mpolokeng by having a soft spot for elders and always willing to help them with anything. She was forever smiling and protective of those she loved. She was an introvert who was shy and always smiling with lots of care.          

PhotoXP facilitator Collen Mfazwe added: “What I will remember her by is her personality and willingness to learn. When we started thew PhotoXP training she was not a photographer but was willing to learn. Mpolokeng was always passionate about new opportunities of empowering herself. She was down to earth and loved people, whenever I was with her, she never presented a rude side.  I remember our excursion to Durban as part of photoxp she had such a good experience and continued taking images independently after that trip. 

Faces and Phases participant Thembela “Terra” Dick: “I first met Mpolokeng in Daveyton via Prof Muholi. My first impression of her was that she is a kind person based on her manner of approach. After that we established a working relationship as photographers. One of the first things I picked up was her love for style and fashion. As someone who is also into fashion that brought us close. What I will miss most about Mpolokeng is her kindness and softness and. I can add that I’ve never heard anyone say something negative about her.  

Sicka Staban: “I met Mpolokeng in 2014 when her and her then partner had planned a picnic and asked me to perform. Years later we remained in contact. We were not very close but had no tensions and I’ve never heard anything negative bout her. She was humble and kind and loved looking good. 

Discrimination pours itself through the seams in Paris

By: Khumo Pulumo

#Pointofview: It is inconceivable to establish a role of injustice or discriminate against a black South African as a white individual and think you’ll get away with it. We were raised in the belly of the beast exposed to racists and discriminatory tactics galore. 

Growing up as a millennial our grandparents consistently described the exclusion and injustices of their era. Mainly where they were forced to carry a pass book (South African official document that all black people in South Africa had to carry with them during the period of apartheid) to gain access to designated “white areas” in Johannesburg.

It began with the segregation act, a system that enforced existing policies and racial segregation in 1948 by the Dutch settlers. They worked black slaves to the bone after discovering the minerals South Africa contains. Black people were escaping the police, most of them went into exile, hid in hostels, protests, unlawful arrests and being severely tortured. Life under apartheid was brutal, often demeaning to the human spirit. After decades of fighting for their freedom, in 1990 former National Party President F.W de Klerk stepped down after years of having the country’s majority black population under the thumb of the white minority.

It created a taste of disdain from us as people of color growing up, the exclusion of another human being based on the color of their skin is unacceptable. In musician’s Drake’s words, Nothing Was The Same.

Having travelled on a 15-hour flight to Paris from Johannesburg, the last thing I expected was a first world country with a highly intense vigor of racial lines not only blurred but transparent in the 21^st century. Black South Africans can smell a racist from a mile away, it is innate in our blood, we carry it like a trauma response. It is an unhealed post-traumatic stress disorder from our childhood as millennials and boomers. 

It is evident that racism is a complex issue in France that has been present for many decades. There have been numerous incidents and controversies surrounding racism in the country, from femicides, police brutality and hate crimes. 

One of the main issues regarding racism in France is the treatment of immigrant populations, particularly those from North and West Africa. In It is apparent that the minority are subjected to discrimination, both in terms of employment opportunities and societal attitudes. The level of segregation one can tell that it has resulted in a high level of unemployment and poverty among these populations.

There have been numerous cases of excessive force and violence being used against people of color, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds. This has resulted in protests and calls for greater accountability and transparency from law enforcement.

30 April, 13:00 – Le Marais; It is our second last day as a travel group in Paris, Professor Muholi, Themba Vilakazi, Mpume Zenda, and I were the four people left behind, this comes after the departure of Indlovukazi Mapule Ngobese and her wife Thandeka Ngobese who were heading back to the mother land. Flavien, Carole Kvasnevski’s assistant, requested our travel group an Uber to where the hotel was booked for our last evening of stay, because we were staying one more night and instinctively we didn’t want to leave Paris, because the treatment has been top tier and remains a beautiful place, and very safe. 

The driver arrived, he seemed Arabic, his calm aura allured us in at first. He let us pack five bags into the boot and some to carry on the trip. It was when Flavien asked him if we could have one person sit in the front that the look in his eyes changed drastically and he immediately threw a tantrum. He got out of the driver’s seat, opened the back of the boot and began removing our bags one by one. Flavien got into a dispute with him for five minutes and turned to us and relayed the message, informing everyone that he said in French “he does not want these natives in his car.” We spent 20 minutes arguing vigorously with the driver with some of our luggage still in his car. We stopped traffic on one of the busiest roads in the republic that day, to be frank the language barrier didn’t help a thing. However, we made sure that he grasped our anger and frustration in that small amount of time. We removed our luggage from the boot and requested another car. It was one of the most unpleasant experiences to date. 

There have been reports of Uber drivers in Paris refusing to pick up passengers based on their race or ethnicity. Hate crimes and xenophobia towards minority communities are also prevalent in France. Minority groups are often targeted by individuals and groups who hold racist and discriminatory views. This can range from verbal abuse to physical violence.

We presumed that this is the last incident, but God! was satan testing us today. 

Carole booked us into Hotel du Vieux Marais in the lively centre of Marais district, it is a vibrant and cosmopolitan area, which in hindsight proved to not reflect the eye-catching aspect of the city. 

16:00, Hotel du Vieux, the frantic owner: Upon arrival it was then I realised that the rising action of today’s film hasn’t reached its climax. Flavien walks in and inquires with the man at the reception about our online booking, the first red flag should have been the white male at the entrance but we paid no mind to it. We walked in with seven bags, Mpume and I sat on the couch. Minutes later a white old woman walks in screaming at the receptionist in French. Muholi, Themba and Simon Baker (Director of the MEP) are still standing outside, chatting. Mpume and I are startled by all of this, the white lady walks up to me with a smirk on her face and pushes me off her couch aggressively. Apparently my backpack is leaving skid marks on her leather chair, confused at this I stand up and call Muholi outside. This is the flight of fight moment for us, in our past experiences paying guests use these chairs to wait for check-in, it’s not rocket science. Muholi walks in and starts confronting her “You don’t like or work with black people”, I start recording on my phone, because ironically one of the most prolific visual activists of our time is confronted by racism in Paris whereas on the other end of the stick their work is celebrated by 80 000 people at the Museum of European Photography. It is innate to take action once the wrath that tried to break us down comes to the fort, we aren’t swallowing such humiliation with ease at all. 

It is important to note that the French government has taken steps to address racism in the country. For example, in 2018, a national plan was launched to combat racism and anti-Semitism. However, many argue that more needs to be done to address systemic issues.

16:38, Hotel du Vieux, tug of war: I am still recording every incident on my phone, out of the blue the same woman comes up to me and pushes my phone into my face. At this point take flight runs away from me and fight confronts her. I scream at her “Don’t push me,” she responds “You a bad person for recording.” in English this time, I push her back and come close to her face and repeat my words “Do not push me ever again.” The argument is getting heated, I look her in her eyes with anger and tell her “Where do you get the right to be so racist”, she walks away with confusion baffled by the idea of a black person confronting her about her actions. In my history of being South African I have never spoken to the elderly in that manner. It is unheard of to disrespect or raise your voice to someone that is older in our culture, however, in the back of my head, us confronting and reprimanding her about being a racist is a win, not only myself, but anyone else that will come across this level of racism in the future. 

France has seen a rise in xenophobic and anti-immigrant sentiment in recent years, with many individuals being targeted based on their race or ethnicity. This discrimination often manifests in subtle ways, such as microaggressions and racial profiling by the institutions, citizens and police.

Ironically, on the 30^th of January French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne launched the National Combating Racism, antisemitism and Discrimination act. 

As tourists from a foreign country this is our first time introduced to a vast scope of deeply entrenched racism, sugar coated with the glitz and glamour of delicately baked goods and finely cut cheese. It saddened me, an African from a deeply rooted racist colonial past experiencing first world racism. 

30 April, 17:40, Promenade Plantee – La Coulée Verte: Simon saves the day and books us into another hotel a block away. I can tell from his expression that he is shocked and livid at the treatment that we received a few minutes ago. It felt surreal, heavy in the sense that as a white man that is also a foreigner from England, had to use his power to change the situation for the better. What was going through my mind as I dropped off my bags in the new hotel room was the social attitudes towards race that evidently have a significant impact on the wider French society. Discrimination and prejudice that leads to this level of exclusion, marginalization, and even violence against those who are perceived as different. This creates a climate of fear, mistrust, and division that undermines social cohesion and democracy. 

In South Africa we strive to build connections with people from diverse backgrounds and actively promote inclusion and diversity in our communities. There are organizations such as Inkanyiso, established in 2006 by Professor Zanele Muholi to help build a cohesive and collaborative spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and heteronormative societies. The way to do this is through photography, awareness campaigns and outreach initiatives, the press, charity work, sports to educate people about the harmful effects of discrimination. Additionally, creating safe spaces for marginalized communities to connect and share experiences that will help foster a more inclusive and accepting society.

In conclusion, homophobia and racism are major issues in France that require a collective effort to address. By promoting understanding, respect, and inclusivity, we can work towards building a society where everyone feels valued and accepted, regardless of their sexual orientation or race. Let’s strive to create a world where diversity is celebrated and discrimination has no place.

My taste of iconism in Paris with Zanele Muholi

“I am not free while any women is unfree, even when her shackles are different from my own.” Audre Lorde

After a self-imposed hiatus of three years, a strenuous quarantine and catching COVID-19 twice, I received incredible news on the 11^th of January 2023 from one of South Africa’s visionary and most hardworking visual activists in the art world, Sir/Professor Zanele Muholi. 

Prof Muholi: “Good Morning, Unjani? Please call me urgently. I have an exhibition opening in Paris next month. Could you please come with us? Thanking you in advance.”

I respond “Morning, I’m good thanks. I would love to come to Paris with you. Can you brief me more regarding dates and everything.”

Three weeks later after confirming in detail what, why, when and how, my VISA arrives, finalising the thought that this manifestation I wrote in my notebook at the beginning of January is happening in real time. 

“Go grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.” Says Muholi after receiving a picture of my VISA, confirming that I’ll be joining them in Paris.  

10:55am, Friday, 21 April – I request my Uber to O.R. Tambo international airport, the driver’s in a good mood. I’m hyperventilating because I’m going to Paris for the very first time with one of the most prolific visual artists of our time. I’m trying to remain calm. This is my first passport stamp, as a small town girl from a mining town west of Joburg and the impact of how far I’ve come is not lost on me. My mother passed away when I was 18, it was the middle of the year. God knows, this is definitely something I would like to share with her, to see the smile on her face and joy at the thought of me travelling abroad for the first time. The woman at the check in looks at me with a wide smile on her face and asks me; “So where are you going?” I respond with “Ke ya Paris.” (I’m heading to Paris).For a split second there was a glimpse of excitement in her eyes, she looked at me, smiled, checked my passport and wished me well on my journey. I reciprocate the energy and give her a warm “thank you.” 

Ethiopia welcomes me with an airport official asking that I take my Zara sneakers off and walk in barefoot, ok! I’ll be at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa for 2 hours and in that two hours I take a brief walk around the airport. As I step into one of the restaurants it really hits me that I am not in South Africa anymore. The difference in currency ,for one, is a cold reality that’s dawning on me as I check prices. Mntase, I am not elite in Addis Ababa according to the Rand-Dollar-Euro exchange, I’m a citizen of ‘calculate your every move’. 

08:40PM – Looking at the poorly fabricated Masonite, wooden walls that separate the stores, prayer rooms, toilets, even the smoker’s section that are haphazardly next to each other I’m a little saddened to think that as an African I’m just passing through heading for what seems to be much greener pastures. Surely Haile Selassie would weep at this sight. After parting with 16 euros (R320) at Burger King with not a single coke nor chip on the side, I begrudgingly eat my food, charge my phone and then proceeded to check in to my Paris flight. 

At Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, I arrive to what feels like the inside of Home Affairs in Johannesburg CBD, the queues are endless. When I have to catch a train at Terminal 2E portes just to get to baggage claim, I realise just how large CDG is. This must be where the concept of first world problems starts, I’d better get used to it. 

I catch a taxi  to where Carole Kvasnevski, a black female gallery owner (a unicorn basically) is waiting for me. 

09:55AM, 22 April, Paris Carole and I sit down and have a coffee before we go about our day to get me acquainted with the city of Paris. Carole explains her journey to me, twenty years ago she taught young children art in Paris, she’s lived here since she was 10 years old. She says being a black female gallery owner is challenging too, however, she was born and bred in Cameroon and nothing can defy her strength. Carole, on one hand has the smile of a young endearing child but the fierce eyes of a lion ready to pounce at any moment. A creature of note. She is leaving the next day to go see her family in Cameroon. I enjoy her company she is a kindred spirit. 

My first lesson on Paris Culture: If it’s not baked, served in a tiny portion on an equally small round table then it’s not Parisian. I repeat, if it’s not made with dough forget about it. The level of indulgence for bread in Paris is surprising to me, the way they take pride in eating it you’d swear it was pap and braai’ed meat kwa Mai Mai. 

 Le Marais, where I’ll be staying for the next 9 days, is the epicentre of lifestyle where coffee shops, boutique stores, the young, the old and the incredibly stylish converge. I’m astonished to walk past what Carole says is a strike against some labour law, the strikers may as well have been at a concert, there’s a stage, people taking turns to speak to rounds of applause with music to end the occasion off. The streets of Paris are alive well past midnight, we never have to worry about walking at night or having our possessions stolen. 

It’s Sunday and the rest of our travel group arrives. I meet Thandeka Ngobese (Station manager for Inanda FM) Themba Vilakazi (Zanele Muholi’s long standing collaborator and Director of Photography), Dr Mpume Zenda (Gynaecologist and sex doctor), Indlovukazi Mapule Ngobese (TV, radio host and author) in the equally mystical and grimy city of Paris. 

15:00, 23 April 2023, MEP The people of Paris are hungry for refreshing queer content, Prof Muholi hits the mark and feeds into their craving. My travel group and I get ready in five minutes and catch our bus to the Museum of European Photography(MEP). Muholi’s show opened at the MEP on the 2^nd of February 2023, it’s the main reason for me being in Paris because I’m featured in their ongoing photographic series titled Faces and Phases. A dream come true. 

Over the past twenty years, Sir Zanele Muholi has not only smashed down the doors that tried to keep the queer experience out of the history books, they have also collected more awards and honours than one can count including France’s top cultural award The Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by French Ambassador Christophe Farnaud in 2017. Today I’m standing in Paris in front of the building where Sir Muholi’s first retrospective in France has been on since February. The exhibition is a compilation of more than 200 photographs and videos with additional archive material that covers the work that celebrates and documents the lives of South Africa’s LGBTQIA+ community for over two decades. 

There’s a large banner hanging outside the building which you can’t miss, it’s of Muholi’s 2016 self portrait titled Julile I , then I’m struck by the size of the exhibition itself, two floors of the building are dedicated to this artist’s work. Secondly there are people waiting outside the gate and down the street, because the inside is at full capacity. They wait patiently and with good spirit, they’ve paid good money to come see the work of one Zanele Muholi who hails from Umlazi in KZN. 

Free from the constraints of societal hetero-normative function and traditional gender references, the show not only uncovers the iconic photographic works of Muholi, but extends to paintings and film projection showcasing the ideal balance of art and activism. 

05:00PM, 23 April 2023 Themba is taking videos and stills of me in front of Muholi’s seminal series Faces and Phases. I’m standing in front of a sea of unerasable faces, mine is there too, a portrait Muholi took of me in 2017. This is an affirming moment for me.

There is a certain level of sophistication to Muholi’s work that reels you in and keeps you mesmerized. It ranges from the mysterious but amplified voices in Faces and Phases which focuses on commemorating and celebrating the lives of black lesbians from South Africa, to the colourfully striking Brave Beauties that showcases defiant figures, transwomen, and lesbians that form part of the socio-political resistance that is Muholi’s work and the recently introduced Somnyama Ngomnyama which is a series of self portraits.

I hear that the museum was expecting 50 000 attendees, surprisingly in its fourth month of exhibiting, they have exceeded that mark by an additional 20 000 with over 70 000 people having attended so far. A historical figure with the energy of a king, Muholi has gone further to reinvent the original and recognizable statement of “heavy is the head that wears the crown” and has replaced it with “The crown fits perfectly in this realm.” 

Onlookers stand in awe, staring blankly at the self-portraits from Somnyama Ngomyana, with its brilliantly semiotic usage of everyday utensils, pegs, combs, carpets, plastics, pens, bonsai trees in Japan, you name it. Every image is a blueprint for creativity because Muholi has the skill to make something out of nothing with refined monochromatic effect to finish it off. 

“The MEP curated a documentation room about the laws that affect the community at large, with a friendly space about the constitution and historical significance. A frame work that describes what’s happening at this current juncture and the manner in which history has changed post-apartheid, this featuring the likes of the late activist Simon Nkoli and power couple Indlovukazi Mapule and Thandeka Ngobese.” Says Director of MEP, Simon Baker. 

While I’m at MEP I learn that there’s an ongoing anti-femicide movement in France. Activists have been putting letters giving names to the nameless victims all over in Paris. There’s also a film about it, “The Night of the 12th”, a thriller based on the true story of a young woman’s murder. It refers to what words cannot describe, explaining that words are not enough for the many women that have lost their lives. This makes the presence of Zanele Muholi’s activism charged works even more pertinent.

21:10PM, 25 April 2023 Le Nelson, Paris I connect with a friend of a friend from London, their name is Ally. They’re queer and work in a male dominated industry as a carpenter. We have dinner at Le’Nelson with their queer friends, Dada and Joyce at this lovely restaurant in the center of the city. The food is five star, the waitress is apparently high off of cocaine says Ally cause she’s so jittery and all over the place. We carry on with our evening and take pictures and videos. 

Ally says they can’t fully be themselves as a masc-presenting lesbian where they come from, they would get killed. It’s a culture shock to me that they face hate crime and homophobia too. There is also segregration in Paris between the white and black queers. The two demographics don’t mix. The struggle here for a black queer is that they are silenced and don’t have the same freedoms as the white queers. It saddens me a little when Ally says that Paris isn’t what’s shown in pictures, the same struggles we have of inequality in South Africa they have ten times worse so Zanele Muholi showcasing at MEP really is a big deal and there has never been anything like that in the history of art in Paris. 

I’m back in our Air BnB and recapping on our conversation at the dinner table, we as South Africans take for granted that we have a voice and can fully vocalise our feelings about inequality without feeling the wrath of oppression in our faces. The black queers in France create platforms and spaces for themselves through foundations, not because there’s a safe space for them to go like in South Africa. The dynamics are different and reclusive. 

 10:00AM, 27 April 2023 Muholi finally arrives and I post an Instagram story telling my followers that “The Goat (Greatest of All Time) has arrived.” We’re all excited, their phone is ringing off the hook. Indlovukazi is cooking stew and rice so that we can indulge in a home cooked meal. Muholi asks me to walk to the shops with them to buy some groceries at FranPrix and to find a bottle of wine they can only buy in Paris. The wisdom coming from them on this walk is worth more than gold. 

Cameroonian filmmaker and writer Pascale Obolo and French photographer Marie Docher have invited different collectives for poetry writing, vogue classes, film viewing and live performances at MEP. Pascale is known for building sanctuary spaces for counternarratives to be seen and heard in France. These are voices that risk being silenced but choose to stand their ground and go against the norm. At 5pm the panel discussion begins with Zanele Muholi, author and radio host Indlovukazi Mapule Ngobese, and they are later joined by Inanda FM’s station manager Thandeka Ngobese, Gynaecologist and sex doctor Dr Mpume Zenda and myself as we have a conversation that brings bursts of laughter and exchanges with an open, attentive, warm hearted audience. I’m amused by the director of MEP unexpectedly translating the definition of orgasm from English to French. A majority of the library, the auditorium, the third floor is transformed into a transcendent place of discussion, education and dance with a performance and DJ set from artist SOÑXSEED and closing set from myself, I remember being nervous but Zanele comes up to me and says “Khumo, play us some amapiano, take us back home.” So I do, considering that this is an exhibition that carries context around the universal significance of the black queer community to also tell their stories anywhere in the world.  

My trip to Paris has been an awakening of sorts. My view of the world has definitely expanded, I think about my place and my work in the world very differently now, I know I have to create impact going forward. On the other hand seeing the daily challenges faced by citizens of the diaspora living in Paris I’m left so much more grateful for the quality of life I’m able to live back home. From this journey I take pride in knowing I am a face going through my ownphases. I am a black queer who has travelled from South Africa to Paris with just a ‘Randela’ (Mandela’s Rand) and dream in my pocket. I want to DJ all over the world, write stories and tell my story to those who feel disempowered by the system. I want to break the chokehold of patriarchy and anarchy and create a world for my community that is safe, inclusive and impactful.