The Hub

Musical Dialogue

Written by Lineo Segoete

Kouyaté-Neerman the Mali-French music duo made their way to Maseru this past Tuesday evening thanks to Alliance Francaise de Maseru and Maseru Sun. The Lesotho leg of Kouyaté-Neerman Africa Music tour was presented as a dinner concert where audiences were spoiled with a wonderful food buffet courtesy of the Maseru Sun Cabanas before being taken on a journey of note in what is best described as “a musical dialogue between two instruments that are distant cousins”: the balofon and the vibraphone.

As I arrived I nodded approvingly at the attendance. Although diverse, the audience present showed great potential in terms of mingling and networking, it consisted of an exceptional expat presence, locals with a flair for music, academics and artists. I could tell it would be great night.

The atmosphere in the venue was vibrant and relaxed, giving way to flowing conversations and laughter and anticipation for the performances of the night. That it was also a warm evening made the event that much more gratifying.

Local songstress Nthakoana set the show in motion with two graceful pieces that gave a decorous representation of a Mosotho’s interpretation of jazz and identity. Next was an extended pre-concert exclusive featuring singer Aprille Goodman from Tennessee who played a medley of jazz and the blues on acoustic guitar.

During her act, Aprille mentioned that before her year-long working assignment to The Mountain Kingdom she dwelt in dismay on the seemingly lengthy duration of her stay however, two months since her arrival she now feels that a year is simply too short.

Aprille had a few surprises in store for the audience, first by having Kouyaté-Neerman’s Antoine Simoni join her on bass guitar and then calling Nthakoana back on stage to do a number with her, an act of solidarity and creativity.

To add a bit of flavour, dynamic dancing duo Sina and Reatile gave an energetic rendition of the Salsa that was fuelled with charisma, chic and seduction.

At last, Lansiné Kouyaté, David Neerman and their band finally got on stage and set the Maseru Sun convention centre ablaze. The band’s ensemble enunciated an eternal fact that music is intrinsic to all cultures and transcends beyond words, time and even space.

For the next one and a half hours, the duo reconciled paradoxes of word, sound and feeling. Their interpretation of the balofon and vibraphone fused traditional and modern music adding a touch of experimentation that creates an eclectic sound revolution that is pleasant to one’s senses and soul.

I could tell that Kouyaté-Neerman’s music stems from joy and oneness, the chemistry they have on stage is electrifying as is the compatibility of their instruments. One can tell that more than music being a full-time career for them, it is also the thread that binds them together as brothers regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.

Following the show, I asked them about the tour and whether they had had any expectations prior to visiting Lesotho. They expressed that each new place is trial and error and they are happy so long as they play for a receptive audience. They showed interest at the prospect of playing in the scenic landscapes of the Mountain Kingdom yet again and playing for an even more dynamic audience. Needless to say their performance was memorable and will remain among the fondest memories for music and cultural enthusiasts within Lesotho.

The common misconception

Written by Lineo Segoete

It is common knowledge that relationships come with confrontations and flaring tempers. Offensive things are said and sometimes done, and often times we are challenged to find ways of salvaging our sanity and or the union itself.

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, especially in relationships because personalities are bound to collide in the process of getting acquainted with one another. The charge is in learning how to remain grounded and within context.

Dealt with positively, confrontations bring individuals closer and intensify the level of openness between them. They shed light on qualities that would otherwise remain hidden.

On the contrary if confrontations are dealt with negatively they may cause never-healing wounds, destroy otherwise strong bonds and create unnecessary animosity.

For a very long time history and traditions have dictated that a woman should be subservient, speak only when spoken to and not contest anything said by the prominent male figures in her life.

In the instance where she does violate these “rules”, punishment follows suit. Either she is deprived of certain privileges or she is reprimanded physically.

The common misconception is that women tend to forget their place and have to be reminded the hard way so they do away with the behaviour entirely.

Sadly some men assume that hitting a woman is the only form of abuse. They figure that they can shove them, yank them like a bag full of corn, tell them who to associate with, dictate what they wear, demoralise them with words and all this will not count as abuse.

Worst even, some men feel they can defend their actions on the grounds that their tempers got the best of them. Their rationale is that they were provoked and could not have helped their reactions.

Many women endure this kind of treatment on the premise that perhaps they instigated being abused. After-all in confrontations both (or more) parties are accountable.

In many cases emotions, attachment and memories induce women to regress back into abusive relationships despite having summoned the courage to get up and call it quits. They are compelled by the hope that things will change as well as the need to forgive, neglecting their well-being and recovery in the process.

Regardless how cheeky, hard-headed or even potty mouthed a woman is, no reasoning qualifies grounds to hit and abuse her. If anything, do the both of you a favour and call it quits if none of your confrontations are constructive. It beats the pain caused by abuse.

What it’s like to attend a Siyakhona mobile cinema community screening

Originally posted by Siyakhona

Written by: Leila Hall

It is a chilly Tuesday evening in Liphakoeng – a community perched on a hillside above the industrial zone of Ha Thetsane in Maseru. People are just getting home: many of them are workers in the nearby textile factories, and it is a long walk up the steep tar road before they turn onto the dirt paths that lead to their homes.

On this workday evening, however, something unusual is happening in this community. On a small, rocky patch of ground underneath a tree and beside a small food stall selling fruits and snacks, a giant blow-up screen has been set up. Music is pumping from speakers and as it gets dark, people are beginning to curiously gather around the noise and lights.

This is the first of a series of screenings that the Siyakhona Media Studio at Kick4Life is holding in communities in and around Maseru. It has now been seven months since the team of eight began their intensive training in filmmaking and citizen journalism. This evening, they are screening Fresh Cut – their first “magazine show” – which includes a series of short five-minute films that profile a variety of local personalities, topics and current affairs.

The central piece of the show, however, is a sixteen-minute call-to-action film called The Darkest Hour, which explores the lack of access to clean water that many communities in Maseru continue to face.

“Siyakhona works with communities to find out what burning issues they are facing. We went out and spoke to people and we found out that one of the most urgent issues they face is access to safe drinking water,” explains Malefu Taoana, of the Siyakhona crew members.

“We visited Tšenola Lepereng, a community in Maseru where many people struggle to get safe drinking water. We worked with one of the villagers there – an elderly lady who sometimes has to wake up at 2am to go and fetch water with her grandchildren, and even then sometimes finds that there is a queue of people waiting at the well. We spent the whole day with her filming her story, following her through the day and seeing for ourselves how much she struggles to get water.”

“Affordable water and sanitation is a human right, and we are trying to make sure that people have access to this,” says Malefu. “Lesotho sells water to other countries, but so many Basotho people don’t have water themselves.”

On this Tuesday in Liphakoeng, many of the people who are walking past the screening are carrying buckets of water on their heads. This too is a community where access to water is a daily struggle for most residents. In the growing dark, more and more people gather as, one after the next, the Fresh Cut films are played. The Darkest Hour is screened last, and by this time there is a sizeable group of people standing around – their interest sparked by what is clearly an issue that is relevant to their lives.

At the end of the screening, the Siyakhona crew invites members of the audience to come up and express their opinions about the topic. People come up one by one, with little hesitation, and speak firmly, sometimes angrily, into the microphone. They narrate the frustrations, the string of promises made and broken by politicians and officials, and the need for members of the community to speak out and take action.

“We have been getting positive reactions to the screenings from people,” says Malefu. “A woman I spoke to at one of the screenings told me that it makes her happy to see that there are people who care for them. People in her community have been complaining about water for a long time, but they haven’t been heard. She believes that Siyakhona will bring change into their lives.”

“We are working with the Transformation Resource Centre (TRC) to collect 10,000 signatures for a petition that will be handed to the government. We are also trying to inspire communities to work together to find short-term solutions, such as finding ways to protect a local well from livestock, or getting a cooperative together to buy a water pump.”

“We are trying to reach as many communities as we can, and at the moment are doing three screenings a week. We’ve partnered with Sesotho Media and Development, and will soon be moving to communities outside of Maseru. We’ve collected 606 signatures so far, and we’ll keep going until we reach the goal of 10,000.”

Siyakhona mobile cinema community screening — © Siyakhona

What Makes A Man Great (Zakes Mda in Lesotho)

Originally posted on Morija.co.ls

By: Lineo Segoete

What makes Zakes Mda a force to be reckoned with is his ability to communicate. He is blessed with an aura that consumes people’s attention as though by some electro-magnetic force. Bold and hilarious in his commentary, he appeases people’s minds and readies them for learning.

What makes a man great? Is it the people he is affiliated with, accolades he has received, or records broken, or the special places he has visited? Many a man is hailed yet undeserving- on this premise I am indifferent to revered personalities or celebrities (for a lack of a better word).

I actively seek to discern the true qualities in revered individuals I come in contact with, more-so if they embody positive traits I can harness so that I may become a better person.

I learnt in May that Zakes Mda would be travelling to Lesotho to present the annual Mohlomi Memorial Lecture, eventually he revealed that he would be giving a “Further Critique Of Culture and the African Malaise”, I could not contain my excitement.

Professor Mda is world renowned for his literary works, his unapologetic stance on current affairs, his zeal for teaching keen minds and many other attributes and the evening of September 26 could not come soon enough.

A chance at having personal interaction with him would be a self-realisation exercise for me: as an aspirant writer, a student of African History and Culture, a knowledge enthusiast, avid reader, and as one of his twitter followers.

Fortunately Professor Mda is an extrovert. An acute observer of his books and tweets will recognise details of his character because he lures you in. By sharing himself he is able to reach you and make you unperturbed enough to embrace his message.

What makes Zakes Mda a force to be reckoned with is his ability to communicate. He is blessed with an aura that consumes people’s attention as though by some electro-magnetic force. Bold and hilarious in his commentary, he appeases people’s minds and readies them for learning.

He makes references drawn from everyday scenarios- one can tell that he engages with his environment and relishes reflection while inheriting positivity out of every situation (which is most evident in his memoirs).

He is meticulous in his delivery and gives life and meaning to his ideas in a very charismatic yet humble manner, characteristics which I feel qualify him as a leader of note.

My view is that so long as there are personalities like Zakes Mda there is a bit of hope for humanity after-all, especially for the young African facing an identity crisis.

He articulates immaculately the beautiful attributes we have, yet neglect and reject. For example; how our rich history and arts have influenced other cultures, especially those in Europe and parts of Asia and how African civilization and infrastructure set the blueprint for other nations.

He also highlighted the abundance of abled minds and resources Africa is endowed with . He is also kind enough to remind us that the journey of life is a learning process and that we should strive towards reform and not regret.

My favourite part (obviously) was getting to interact with him after his talk; he was very warm and unpretentious, easy going and as down-to-earth as a friendly neighbour.

I came to the conclusion that Zakes Mda is no celebrity; rather, he is a simple man who has a brilliant perspective on the human (especially African) condition and deserves all the recognition he receives. Not only for his works but even more for his character, understanding of himself, regard for others and his fervour to influence positive changes in the world.

Take a stand in addressing Lesotho’s water crisis

The Siyakhona Media Studio is a not-for-profit community based project bringing together Basotho youth from varied and underprivileged backgrounds to be a voice for their communities, to enact social and behavioral change. The participants are trained in participatory human rights based video journalism and community activism. The Siyakhona Media Studio’s objective is to give a voice and a platform to those who are less often heard. Siyakhona focuses primarily on working together with marginalized communities in Lesotho to produce call to action films for their benefit.

Siyakhona found that lack of access to safe and clean drinking water in the view of those surveyed, is the biggest burning social issue poor and vulnerable Basotho are facing at present. Siyakhona began to research the water crisis to understand the root causes, build a bridge over the communication gap between the community and authorities and present a solution based on consultation with those affected, stakeholders and role-players. The result of their work is a short call to action film called “The Darkest Hour”, Lesotho’s Water Crisis.

The video is about a 62 year old Mosotho woman, ‘Mampolokeng, who is HIV positive, is unemployed and has five children and four grandchildren who are her dependents. They live in Ts’enola in Maseru. The film follows their daily routine over 24hrs to highlight their struggle to survive due to their lack of access to clean and safe drinking water. ‘Mampolokeng often has to wake up at 2am in the morning with her three grandchildren to fetch water from a contaminated well in the valley below their home. ‘Mampolokeng and her eight family members sometimes have to sleep with empty stomachs because they do not have water to cook with. She and her fellow villagers spend a large majority of their time waiting for water from a contaminated well. The film looks into the root causes of this crisis and tries to understand why there is a lack of progress in delivering this most basic of essential services.

Siyakhona in partnership with several NGOs, civil society groups and concerned citizens have produced a petition with the aim of collecting 10 000 signatures to present to government. The petition calls for the government to legally recognize water as a human right and to make access to clean and safe drinking water a national priority. To date Siyakhona has screened the film in 10 villages in and around Maseru and have collected a little over 2 000 signatures. we need your help in reaching 10 000.

Take a stand and help collect signatures! Click on the PDF image below to open or right-click to download a copy of the petition:

For more information contact:

Danny Lurie
Siyakhona Media Studio
Kick4Life
Cell: +266 5775 5083
Email: [email protected]

Watch The Darkest Hour: