Sibandla Theatre Festival challenges misconceptions about the arts
Through powerful performances rooted in decolonisation, learners were not just entertaining; they were challenging how parents view the arts.
The Fifth Annual Sibandla Theatre Festival at Alexandra High School was more than a showcase of student talent; it was a deliberate effort to shift how the community, especially parents, understands the arts.
Read more: Sibandla Festival showcases decolonisation through physical theatre
Behind the festival’s mission, was the hope that once parents gain a nuanced understanding of what physical theatre is all about, they will be able to support the learners.
“Some parents do not understand arts. So, the only way to tackle that challenge was to invite them,” said Lihle Nene, drama and visual arts teacher at the school. He explained that the festival aimed to dismantle the notion that drama is simply jumping around for marks, and, instead, reveal the conceptual depth behind each performance.
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Held over two days on August 30 and 31, the festival featured engaging physical theatre productions rooted in the theme of decolonisation. Through their performances, learners explored African history, tracing the journey from pre-colonial life through the trauma of land dispossession and into the present-day struggle for identity and dignity. “We’re painting a canvas of that journey. How settlers came to Africa and took the land, and where we stand today,” Nene said, adding that one performance incorporated books as symbolic props, representing the decolonisation of the African child’s mind.
For Nene, the festival’s deeper purpose lies in helping learners, and their families, understand the historical and psychological context behind their creative work. “The only way to decolonise an African child is to help them understand where we come from and what happened in the past. People ought to know where they come from, so that they can start decolonising themselves.”
By inviting the parents, the festival also sought to build support systems around learners who pursue the arts. “It’s not only meant to educate children, but the community as a whole,” Nene added. “So that parents too can understand what their children are doing here at school, and support them.”
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