Award-winning actor and playwright, James Ngcobo, Professor Rene Smith, Amanda Chembezi and many others will lead this year’s Afrotellers Conference 2024, set to take place from October 24-26 at Wits University.
The three-day event promises to shine a spotlight on the rich tapestry of Afrikan storytelling against the inspiring theme, “Beyond Borders: Mapping New Frontiers for Afrikan Storytelling”, in a bid to transcend geographical, cultural, and ideological boundaries as attendees explore innovative approaches to storytelling.
Presented by Thrive Afrika in collaboration with the Wits University School of Arts (WSOA) and the Cultural Policy and Management Department (CPM), the conference will feature an illustrious line-up of speakers intended to foster a vibrant dialogue that will serve as an urgent invitation to reshape the narratives that define Afrika.
Wilson Chivhanga, CEO of Thrive Afrika, explained the importance of this conference, saying: “The Afrotellers Conference 2024 is more than just a gathering; it’s a movement to reclaim and reshape Afrikan narratives. This conference matters because the narratives we create and their presentation shape perceptions and futures.
“In an era where narratives are contested and commodified, it’s essential that Afrikans take ownership of their stories, celebrate their heritage, and influence how the world sees and engages with Afrika.”
The agenda features a rich selection of keynote talks, panel discussions, and workshops led by over 25 leading voices from various sectors of art and academia.
Dr Kholeka Shange, a curator and anthropologist at Wits, will present the importance of visual communication in understanding history.
Speaking on her upcoming participation, she remarked: “I am of the school that buys into the idea of knowledge vis-à-vis knowledge. History tells us that abantu from all over the world communicate through visuality.
“For me, as someone who is deeply invested in the role that photography plays in how we make sense of our history, it becomes important to think about how imagery speaks to us in ways that words can’t.”
Dr. Shange emphasised the need to explore various forms of expression, noting: “We live in a society that is replete with visual communication, and as such, it becomes imperative to find tools to deconstruct what one is seeing.”
Molaodi Wa Sekake, a writer, poet, and activist, is poised to highlight the conference with his reflections on storytelling as a battleground for justice.
“The war over life and its essence in this world is won or lost around who makes meaning of it; the war over narrative/s has been raging forever, sometimes openly, sometimes clandestinely. Storytelling and narrative creation or counter-creation profoundly influence the human condition and the possibility, or lack thereof, of a just world.”
The Star