Sharpeville commemorates June 16 through arts and music
Activities, events, festivals and exhibitions hosted at Diniso Arts Centre are in line with tourism.
SHARPEVILLE. – There is no better way to observe Youth Month, June, for Sharpeville residents than through the visual arts and music.
At Diniso Arts Complex from the 1-30 June, every Saturday and Sunday there will be a program dedicated specifically to Youth Month. The program is kick starting with visual art exhibition of Iva-Nyaniso Diniso’s ‘Infant-Images Artworks Exhibition with the official opening on 1 and 2 June at 14h00.
Iva-Nyaniso Diniso’s artworks from when he was between the ages of 3 to 16 will be on exhibition.
Iga-Makhulu Diniso from the Diniso Arts Complex said that the Infant Artworks Exhibition is a concept to exhibit children’s artworks to the public as early drawings are done at the infant stage.
“The concept is to preserve art at its infant stage and develop the child artist in the creative space. I started to archive my sons’ artworks when they were as young as 3-year-olds and the youngest by the name of Iva-Nyaniso Diniso had his solo exhibition ‘IVA Infant-Images Exhibition 2015’ at Visual Arts & Graphics Design, K-Block art department at the Vaal University of Technology,” said Diniso.
The Infant Art Exhibition initiative by Iga-Makhulu Diniso began way back in 1997 at the Sharpeville Resource Centre for the Arts.
On June 9 and 8 June there will be a Youth Music Dialogue on Sharpeville music, musicians and music bands. Diniso said that in the music genre homage will be paid to the late Vernon ‘Mgababa’ Molefe and Themba ‘Lollipop Boy’ Lehlakola both Sharpeville musicians.
“Molefe was a go-getter who happened to be at Pelican Night Club in Soweto where he befriended Lebo M (Lebohang Morake of the Lion King’s fame). It is said that after the 16 June 1976 Student Uprising against the Bantu Education system, Molefe single handedly went to Pretoria Union Building to confront the then Minister of Education. After that he was harassed by the security branch until he was exiled to Lesotho and went off to the United States of America together with Lebo M.”
It is said that in the USA, Molefe and the others used to perform, playing his accordion to support themselves.
“They became great musicians until Vernon was assassinated. His music album in South Africa is ‘Mgababa- Umfana O Mncane ne Accordion Yakhe’ produced by Almon Memela and the USA album one is ‘Free Spirit’. Thembaba Lehlakola became popular at a very young age, and he has two music albums ‘My Fisrt Love- Lollipop Boy’ produced by Mac Mathunjwa with Lollipop Boy song composed by Moses Thipenyane and Joshua Tladi, and ‘My First Love’ song composed by Jimmy Mojapelo. Another album is ‘Children of Africa’, ‘Little Themba’ and ‘The Black Five’ produced by Jimmy Mojapelo.
Diniso said that Lehlakola is a musician who was part of Ketane Kulture Movement of the 1980s during the era of the famous ‘Street Kid’ of Oupa Pooe from Sharpeville and Paul Ndlovu.
On June 15 and 16 children and youth will participate in storytelling activities and on June 22 and 23 there will be a Children and Youth in Music Activity while on June 29 and 30 there will be a Children and Youth in Theatre and Tourism Activity.
“This initiative includes engaging children artists and involving their parents. On June 22 and 23 will be showing video clips of Julius Sello Malema and Mbuyiseni Quinton Ndlosi when they were still young, and also the video clip of Naledi Chirwa. On June 29 and 30 we will be viewing Truth (Iva-Nyaniso Diniso) and Bikos Manna and Mfundo’s music video clips.”
Diniso said that activities, events, festivals and exhibitions hosted at Diniso Arts Centre are in line with tourism. Young women in the business of cakes and ‘magwenya’ and in hospitality and crafters can call 083 757 3104.
For more information on the exhibition contact Iga-Makhulu Diniso at 084 282 9160.
