FESTIVAL D’ARTE
What a huge success it was again. This time even more dance and music than during the previous edition. With as grand finale of the festival Vagalumes from Switzerland and our own Cantate singers and musicians. There was dance with choreography by Natercio from Beira and an exhibition of visual artists in the courtyard of the museum. The day ended with a drink for participants and guests. Nice to mention that this year we were honored with the visit of the Dutch ambassador in Maputo, Mrs. Elsbeth Akkerman. Steven Maenda from the Dutch Embassy made a video.Participants visual arts:
Titos Pelembe
Pekiwa (Nelson Fereira)
Marcelino Manhula,
Lurdes Silva
Afroivan (Ivan Muhambe)
Ernest Nyagato
Tonderai Nyagata
Issofu Anza (Stony)
Guildo Milagre Pedro
Kent Powell
Music:
Vagalumes trio
(singer Sylvie Klijn, gitarist Paul, percussionist Samuel)
Jardinot Domingos Maulana
Sara Grosso
Cantate choral
with Francisco and 3 collegues
(instruments cello, violin, keybord)
Dance:
Natercio
in collaboration with Estela and Julia
Special was that Yara Costa Pereira, a Mozambican artist currently living on Ilha, gave a lecture to all attendees regarding her installation currently on display on Ilha. Yara won the Prince Claus Award this year with her Nakhodha and the Mermaid. Yara was very enthusiastic about the concept of the festival: small-scale and for and by the local people. She has promised to be involved in a next edition of the festival.
Because there was no wall available on Ilha, the street art paintings were created in Lumbo. Marcelino made a beautiful mosaic on a wall of the escolinha. In the end, everyone worked hard to finish it. Ernesto and Pekiwa in particular made their contribution.
It is clear that for the participants, interaction with each other is paramount, but also that the local population is especially introduced to art, music and dance. The participants have selflessly committed themselves (for a fee of their costs) to share as much of their knowledge and skills as possible.
This time we had rented two houses for the artists. Housing was highly appreciated.
For a next festival we want to make more use of organization by local people and we want to focus more on the older children, who really can still learn something.
The following was also suggested by Natercio:
‘That some cultural artistic movements be created between festivals, which could even be called, for example, THE WAY TO THE FESTIVAL…as a way of keeping these cultural artistic activities always alive in this region where arts and cultures as a form of expression seem to not exist’.
Proposal by Natercio (dance) and Afroivan (streetart) to organize some kind of ‘spin off’ activities during the time until the next festival, to keep the children involved. Sounds interesting, we will look into this further.
