Category Archives: Queer poetics

2014 Nov. 17: “I love how my two portraits contradict each other”

by Sicka Star-ban My Faces and Phases journey started in the year 2013 when I met author and visual activist, Zanele Muholi. I, Nonkululeko Sharon Mthunzi known as Sicka Star-ban, remember her reaction when she first saw my cousin Nontuthuzelo … Continue reading

Posted in Blessings, Body, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Evidence, Excitement, Hearts, Participants, Participation, Protection, Proud lesbian, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, South Africa, South African art, South African Artists, South African Black Female Photographers, Talented, Teaching, Winners, Wishing you well, Witnesses, Woman, Womanhood, Zulu is a language, Zulu tradition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2014 Oct. 8: Beautiful faces and kisses from Soweto Pride 2014

                                                                                … Continue reading

Posted in 10th Soweto Pride, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, After party, Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, an LGBTI organisation, Anger, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Article, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Attention, Awareness workshops, Background, Baring, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian mothers, Black lesbian visibility, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, black LGBTIQA, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Body, Cameras, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Charismatic, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contestants, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Creativity, Cultural activists, cultural worker, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Demonstration, Details, Different positions, Dignity, disappearance, discourse, Discussion, Documentary, Documentation; 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Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right, Years, Young black female photographers, Young Black Women and Photography, Young female photographers from Aurora, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices | 10 Comments

2014 April 5: “We are being killed for nothing”

  A impression by Signe Tveskov __________________________ Performance: Maureen Velile Majola & Jelena Kuljic Video: “Isililo” by Zanele Muholi Where:  Constanza Macraz/ Dorkypark – Studio 44. Berlin   Heavy sounds of breathing. The sounds are somehow disturbing. We don’t know if it … Continue reading

Posted in 'We live in fear' by Zanele Muholi & HRW, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Berlin, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Education, Music, Power of the Arts, Queer poetics, Scriptures, Seeking help, Society, Songs of Worship, South Africa, Toilet brush, Townships, Victims, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2014 April 5: ‘Sifela i Ayikho’ photos

  L-R: Jelena Kuljic and Maureen Velile Majola at backstage before their performance at Studio 44, Constanza Macras in Berlin last night.      Jelena Kuljic about to sing “Senzeni na?”  Maureen Majola lit the candles and prayed hard… God … Continue reading

Posted in "We'll Show You You're a Woman”, 'We live in fear' by Zanele Muholi & HRW, Activists Act, Africans Abroad, Allies, Amnesty International on Inkanyiso, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Articles, As we are, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Curative rapes, Disappointment, Discomfort, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Emotional support, Empowerment, Erik Dettwiler, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Feelings, Female Photographers, Feminist Art, Films, Gender activist, Gender expression, Hate crimes Victims names, Human Beings, Human body, Human rights, Human Rights Watch, I can't do it ALONE, I was (T)here, Inconsiderate, Interpretation, Intervention, Jelena Kuljic, Knowledge, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Life, Life Stories, Music, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Performance, Photo album, Political Art, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Queer Amnesty, Queer community, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer visibility, Recognition, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationships, Sexual orientation, Sharing knowledge, South African Artists, South African Black Female Photographers, South African Black Lesbian Filmmakers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Visual Activist, Visual Power, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women's Arts In South Africa (WAISA), Youth voices, Zanele Muholi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

2014 April 1: This is not April fool but our reality

  … A photo of the day by Zanele Muholi, featuring Maureen Velile Majola rehearsing ‘Sifela i Ayikho’ to be performed at Constanza Macras STUDIO 44, BERLIN on Sat. , 5th April 2014. More photos to be added later…

Posted in Crime rate, Moments in herstory, Privilege, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Textualizing Our Own Lives, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Writing is a Right, Young talent, Zulu is a South African language | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2014 Feb.21: Gay fear, pay… TEAR

  Our love contested by critical judgment of the world. I’ve faced crucifixion. Like the two thief’s, I’m damned. Buried and burnt in eternal fire, coz it seems our fire is wrong. To hell with what we feel- literally. Layers … Continue reading

Posted in Gay, Knowledge, Memory, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Textualizing Our Own Lives, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Writing is a Right | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Jan.29: Education is primal

  by Tapuwa Moore Edited by Fikile Mazambani Tsohang tu yerr man! Personally I do not advocate for my freedom, I only have an urgent need for human rights based society. Maybe being a marginalized person; a lesbian, a black … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Arts & Sports, As we are, Awareness workshops, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Artists, Black Lesbian professionals, black LGBTIQA, Black Queer & Gifted, Body Politics, International Relations, Privilege, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer sports, Soccer coach, Society, Socio-economic, South African townships, Soweto, Speaking for ourselves, Survivor, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Townships, Victimhood, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2013 Nov. 10: I can never forget

by Maureen Velile Majola   That night you made me stay up so you can pour out your heart When you reminded me of all my mistakes When the age gap played it significant role again The reminder The constant … Continue reading

Posted in Active Black Lesbian Artists in South Africa (ABASA), Activism, Anger, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, As we are, Beauty, Before You, Bitch, Insults, Life, Life Stories, Love, Love is a human right, Memory, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Queer poetics, Questioning, Relationships, Silence, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Undermined, We Are You, We Care, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | Tagged | 1 Comment

2013 Nov. 9: Ayanda & Nhlanhla’s wedding

  … Seven (7) days later Photos by Lebo Ntladi   It was in 2011 during their vacation in Cape Town when Nhlanhla Moremi made a promised to marry Ayanda Magoloza in 2 years. 2013 came and Moremi finished paying … Continue reading

Posted in Female Photographers, From Thokoza to Vosloorus, Gender naming, Gratitude, Homosexuality, Hope, Human rights, I was (T)here, Identity, Ihawu, Ihawu members, Kisses, Know Your SA Queer History, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Youth, LGBT rights activist, Life Stories, Love, Media works, Our lives in the picture, Pastor Moema, Photo album, Photo Expressions, Photography, Politics of representation, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Prayer, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Queer God fearing community, Queer poetics, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Relationships, South African Black Female Photographers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Townships, Traditions & Customs, Uncategorized, Visual Arts, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Womanhood, Women's power, Writing is a Right, Zulu is a South African language | Tagged | 19 Comments

2013 Nov. 11: Nocturne: Beheaded

…for Thapelo Makutle   All throat now…..already brighter than the stars. I could hold you in my song. Sotto voce, tremble against me: a breeze slips in, cools my blood to garnet…..bed stained with stones, cold and finally useless………..I Orpheo,…..I … Continue reading

Posted in Allies, Anger, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, As we are, Black Queer & Gifted, Body, Creating awareness, Queer poetics, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, We Are You, We Care, We were (t)here | Tagged | Leave a comment