Exchange Talk: Art And Identity

Tawona ganyamatopé Sitholé shares his praxis which brings his inherited learning traditions from daré – ritual learning and healing space, into the academic setting to create space for communication and getting along.

The intercultural encounter is fraught. Deeply held sacred languages, gestures, rituals, can create discomfort and even conflict when social/intellectual generosity is not afforded. How can we pay attention to listening as practice in order to enjoy a convivial choreography, which I call intercultural abun-dance? The intercultural work of introducing my ancestors’ wisdom into learning spaces has been several years in development. From the arts collective Seeds of Thought, to the academic work at University of Glasgow, the format of the ‘mutupo circles’ has shaped my praxis as I find ways of inviting others into my own learning traditions from daré – ritual learning and healing space. In daré, participants use spirit names, mutupo, which come in the form of poetic expressions of the self through connections to family, community and the land. After much exploration through workshops in various settings, the form settled into a writing exercise, creating poems to then be spoken and shared. In this facilitated conversation I offer mutupo for trying to break out of the way difficult histories have meant that we may struggle to do the simple work of getting along.

Better known as ganyamatope dzapasi, Tawona ganyamatopé Sitholé’s spirit name inspires him to connect with other people through creativity and the anticipation to learn. His work is inherited from ancestors and modified through his professional education practice. He is a lecturer in Creative Practice Education at University of Glasgow, within the UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Education, Languages and the Arts (UNESCO RIELA). He is the co-founder of Seeds of Thought, a non-funded arts group, and continues working in the creative sector as poet, playwright, mbira musician, and facilitator. As he continues to write, teach and perform, mostly he appreciates this work for the many inspiring people it allows him to meet.

Links: https://5eedsofthought.weebly.com/