- 17 hours ago
This time Afrimaxx it is all about the comeback of collectivism – from The Herds which are crossing continents to craft collectives and to what makes South Africa the friendliest country —namely, its sense of community.
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00:00today we're in four ways johannesburg for welcome to bollywood a celebration of music dance food
00:06and fashion rooted in the south african indian community and rich heritage it's more than just
00:13a festival it's a celebration of culture but before we get into that here's what's coming up
00:18on the show we see how collective hands is turning zambian textiles and jewelry into a global
00:26sensation we discover why south africa is considered one of the world's friendliest countries
00:32then we move to mali to see how mudcloth art is preserving heritage and livelihoods
00:38i'm panisa dembe and this is afri max
00:52ever heard of life-size puppets on a 20 000 kilometer journey from africa to europe the
01:02herd springs together africa's wild animals in a breathtaking collective display of puppeteering
01:08it draws attention to our shared challenges brought about by climate change these life-size
01:15puppets are raising the alarm they're on an epic 20 000 kilometer journey to alert us all to the
01:21dangers of the climate crisis and its impact ferocious beautiful vulnerable this is the herds
01:30an ambitious creative art project that's proving impossible to ignore
01:37the main designers from ukwanda puppets and design arts collective based in cape town south africa
01:42shepherd them along the way we didn't know that one day wanda will design the puppets that will be
01:49very significant to the world and then everyone is talking about us and not just about the puppet but
01:55then about what exactly the problem that we are facing even if in london 20 people will do something
02:03they did get the message of what we are doing the herds began its journey in the democratic republic of
02:09congo it has traveled through africa and into europe and will reach the arctic circle in august
02:15it was here in kinshasa the story began the animals become alarmed they begin to flee
02:24reaching the bustling streets of the nigerian city lagos picking up more species along the way
02:29then into the deserts of morocco but forced by climate change to find a new home as the journey
02:41continues they confront us in our cities and on our doorsteps about the migration crisis to come
02:46i don't think awareness is what we need everybody knows what's happening i think it's scared that we
02:52need so we're trying to make people care a bit more about the planet we live in about the nature that
02:58we're about to lose about the human price that will come along with this massive massive crisis that
03:04we're in already here in london the herds are delivering another awe-inspiring display even meeting
03:12king charles on their tour built to be as lifelike as possible these puppets took months to design
03:22they're made from recycled cardboard and plywood like the animals themselves they're also vulnerable
03:29to the elements a new group of puppeteers is trained in each of the cities along the journey
03:36and there are just a few days to do it one particular skill is key to this puppeteering magic
03:44the breathing is the language of the puppetry so the very first thing that we do
03:48is to breathe the breathing is coming from me i'm the one who's giving life
03:53with more than 20 different species of animals and dozens of performers marching through the city
03:58streets passers-by are stopped in their tracks compelled to pay attention
04:08to think about the crisis in biodiversity and to see these exotic animals we wouldn't normally see in
04:12london up close and personal it's really moving it's just awe-inspiring and great art gets to do
04:18that it's just like really amazing and really poignant that you see the beauty but also the
04:23fragility in the animals it's really exciting and then a real surprise when you realize what the message
04:28was behind it uh very very poignant where is your water as part of the spectacle the herds teams up with
04:38leading activists artists and performers in every city to create a series of one-off performances
04:44it's financed by a combination of public funds donations trusts foundations and individuals
04:53in a worst-case scenario one estimate suggests the climate crisis could create as many as 1.2
04:58billion refugees by 2050 for the creators of the herds this is an urgent cry for action
05:04i won't stop the climate crisis i'm not going to change governments i'm one drop of water on a very
05:13hard surface but i believe we have to do this i hope this creates an accumulative movement of something
05:23and this something is care the herds aims to amaze and inspire to create a crack in what many see as
05:31the collective indifference to the crisis we face curry is more than just a dish it's a story of
05:40heritage and celebration joining me now is nishika naidu to tell us more nishika thank you so much
05:46for joining me hi please sir now look girl curry i feel like is my thing so stepping into your restaurant
05:52what can i expect you're gonna feel home it's mom's home cooking looking at the significance of the food um
05:59what does that talk to to you and relates to it's not just about food it's about love it's about us
06:06sharing our culture with others yeah now before we dig into everything that you've prepared for me
06:11today what makes a durbin curry durbin curry uh definitely the spices it's the rumbo rossi it's
06:19the kashmiri and the aromas smells absolutely amazing thank you felisa so let me dive in go ahead
06:26oh wow well thank you so much for sitting with me nashika thanks for having me when talents come
06:35together big things happen here's how zambian artisans have collaborated to reshape lusaka's
06:42creative scene let's meet the team behind collective hands to build a truly sustainable future bold visions
06:51must be matched by practical action let's take a look at an initiative in zambia that has done just
06:57that crafting a socially impactful business with creative craftsmanship and environmentally friendly
07:04production what keeps us sustainable is the mix of local presence strong artisan relations and a focus
07:12on quality and storytelling talita ulrich and roseanne thorne found a collective hands in lusaka with a clear
07:18vision to empower zambian artisans through a business that prioritized social impact environmental
07:25responsibility and the celebration of local craftsmanship could their model serve as a blueprint
07:31for others there's just a lot of these makers were in very informal settings and they were very isolated
07:37to markets as well so we feel that by what we set out to do it was to really address isolation
07:43access to markets and a continuous economic income moving beyond a simple marketplace this initiative
07:51operates with a structure designed to provide comprehensive support to its members a nine
07:57hours drive east of lusaka is a partner that produces sustainably sourced and produced jewelry
08:04do the distances between the game reserves in the mfuor valley and zambia's capital lusaka
08:09impact potential sales this is actually one of those collections that we have at collective hand studio
08:16in lusaka they stock these and it's one of their top sellers just last month from sending about 15 of
08:23these pieces of each ensure that i must say it's really impacted our production because we're making more
08:32and more of this design leading to impacting more rural communities and giving back more to the
08:41artisans that gets to create these beads for us the success of a socially impactful business
08:47lies in its ability to overcome challenges and create tangible results why has collective hands been
08:53effective and what hurdles have the founders encountered in the zambian context our main one would be the
09:00load shedding that we are experiencing for the last couple of years due to rainfall this has meant
09:07that for many many hours a day the artisans don't have access to power there is of course the fluctuating
09:15quatra and as a result a lot of people needing to bring in little items like zips to make bags and
09:22you know their prices have increased significantly also through the collective hands wanting to expand
09:32our reach we are also facing our challenges with production capacity and with the artisans meeting
09:39timelines although they're based in the middle of zambia in the bustling capital of lusaka talita and razan set
09:46out to build an enterprise whose influence reaches beyond its physical location what mechanisms are in
09:52place to ensure the sustainability of this model so we're more than just a store we're actually a
09:59platform that brings artisan work into real supporter spaces right now we have three physical stores
10:08direct to customer website and we're beginning to explore export opportunities
10:14to reach a much wider global audience and a huge amount of things that i buy from the collective
10:19are made with kind of the the reeds or the grass and particularly things like lampshades and baskets
10:26and it's really nice to know that there's no damage to the environment by using those they're completely
10:32sustainable and degradable this initiative in lusaka is more than just a marketplace where is their impact
10:40truly felt and what makes their story a potential learning experience for others i'd really like
10:45to bring to mind here is a lady that we started working with and her company is called bevab swirls
10:52she makes handmade soaps made of goat's milk they are organic and she uses also brings in other
10:59more zambian traditional products when i say products like cosmetics or natural cosmetics that she
11:06incorporates into these soaps in a nutshell to highlight rosalina's story as bevab swirls she's
11:12grown her own team she's expanded her own sales platforms and she's been able to expand her product
11:19range due to i think that economic growth and continuous sales that have come through the
11:24collective hands and other platforms that she now exhibits her works in it's a vital archery connecting
11:30the creativity of zambia's artisans with a wider world and i as the collective hands partners had a
11:38very clear intention to create something meaningful that supports artisans in a really real way but it
11:45definitely wasn't all mapped out from the start i think that we've allowed the idea of the business
11:51and the concept to grow organically with that growth i think we can openly say that this business
11:59is built on relationships the challenges and the creativity we've encountered along the way
12:06as collective hands by offering a supportive ecosystem and a centralized platform it empowers
12:12individuals preserves cultural heritage and fosters economic opportunity within the nation's vibrant
12:19artistic landscape
12:28henna is more than just decoration it's a centuries-old tradition in indian culture from weddings to
12:35festivals these intricate designs symbolize beauty blessings and celebration i'm about to meet up with
12:42jade governor as we engage on a chat and she decorates me with some beautiful henna listen i haven't done
12:48henna since primary school but i've never understood what exactly is henna so henna is essentially the
12:54actual plant they make a powder out of it from the henna plant but it's known as mindy in south africa
12:59amongst the indians and the muslims okay well let's get the henna and mindy on so when we are looking
13:06at henna and the specific designs what do they mean is their significance mindy was actually just a form
13:14of art done for brides they found the dye and from there took off how long does henna last it will
13:21last up to let's say two weeks depending on how much heat has been produced it will stain and become
13:28darker over time then fed off my design looks absolutely incredible thank you so much jade south
13:35africa was recently voted the world's friendliest country now what makes the rainbow nation so friendly
13:42well it's the people of course living with the spirit of ubuntu
13:55hey that how is it did you know south africa was recently named the world's friendliest country
14:01for warm greetings to a deep culture of ubuntu it's a place where strangers become family and visitors are
14:06made to feel at home south africa was recently ranked the world's friendliest country
14:11but what does that really mean is it just about smiling at strangers or something deeper to find
14:17out we explore four ways south africans live out of the spirit of ubuntu a philosophy of shared humanity
14:24that turns friendliness into action at number four we have friendly tourism that encourages connection
14:30part of the study said residents are known for being warm and welcoming making it easy for travelers and
14:36visitors to feel at ease around them i'm here at popular tourist destination just outside of johannesburg
14:43city lucidi cultural village hundreds of tourists fly here each year south african friendliness is on
14:49full display here as visitors are welcomed not just with warm greetings but with stories dances and shared
14:56traditions here in lucidi we offer cultural experience we do dance and also we do tour what tourists get to
15:03learn here in english city cultural village they get to learn about the cultures the south african cultures
15:12it's my first time in south africa and somehow it sort of feels like home the people of south africa
15:18are very hostile they are very happy i love it to be here and i hope to come here again well that's a solid
15:26foundation for the title of friendliest nation number four check but what's in third place we all know
15:33south africa faces serious challenges crime unemployment inequality but if there's one thing we do well it's
15:42laugh at ourselves south africans find humor in every situation good or bad so number three is humor because
15:50humor is how we cope connect and stay resilient it's not just jokes it's ubuntu in action finding joy
15:57together even in tough times in fact to add to our world's best country status we were recently ranked
16:05among the top 20 funniest nations in the world from the chaos of minibus taxis with their own rules
16:11to the everyday frustrations of power and water cuts we turn our frustration into shared laughter
16:17laughter and with comedians like trevor noah celeste ntuli and noiso gola we've made humor and national
16:25strength and i'll give you number two right after because i'm generous and that's exactly what it's
16:31all about reason number two generosity even with so little south africans give freely on their time
16:37resources and hearts ubuntu also means giving even when you don't have much south africans share time
16:44resources and care like here at the little rose center a creche and children's center founded in
16:501993 it was the first creation club town one of soweto johannesburg's first informal settlements
16:57place where community steps in to support children and parents in need
17:02so i'm here with my patronela who's been a little rose for 11 years ma what makes little rose so special
17:08or for us for me i can say it's especially because we can assist parents that are not working
17:17to come and bring their kids for a day to be safe to learn to win in a better place yes
17:28i like to help people and when i volunteer my passion is actually to work with children i love
17:34children i volunteer at little rose center because being around children is one of the things that i
17:39enjoy because some of the children around the community are not able to afford things that other
17:44children have many people from the community don't have many things so what makes south africa the
17:50world's friendliest country we're not done yet coming up the philosophy that ties it all together
17:56and why it's more than just hospitality
17:57and right at the top we have ubuntu the world calls it hospitality warmth and kindness but to us
18:06it's much more ubuntu i am because we are i am because we are that's ubuntu an african world view
18:14rooted in compassion dignity and community it's not just kindness it's a way of life ubuntu is why
18:21strangers become family and why friendliness in south africa is more than a smile it's solidarity
18:27ubuntu means being kind to other people being there for other people and going out of your way
18:33to see that the next person is okay taking your time to understand the next person because you don't
18:39know what the next person is facing so just trying to be kind so when i hear the word ubuntu i think about
18:45people coming together to unite as one because we all are one after today i'm not surprised by the warmth
18:52the world sees radiating from our rainbow nation only the term friendliest country may not be the
18:58right one what we've seen is ubuntu a deep shared humanity that welcomes supports and uplifts unless you
19:06support the wrong rugby team then all bets are off
19:13sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp we're off to mali next where we meet pumbaka
19:23dumbia now this master artist is keeping the ancient textile techniques alive while inspiring a new generation
19:30of malian fabric designers a century's old tradition is being reinvented with bold colors style and a
19:46mission to empower let's find out why these orders and time-consuming work means a better future for the
19:54young people of mali here i do trapping i wash the fabrics with galama then i bring them inside they
20:05work on it and then wash them one last time bubaka dumbia has specialized in natural dyeing techniques
20:14for decades through him malian youth get training on the best way to reimagine this fabric making tradition
20:21i came to the normal center for three months of training here i make designs for clothes and scabs
20:31and then we get our money
20:36bubaka is not just a textile designer but a cultural architect his social enterprise lendomo keeps the
20:44textile heritage alive while creating economic opportunities for the next generation
20:51in domo center after my studies at the national institute of arts the aim was to promote the natural
21:00dyeing techniques that exist in our country these techniques were used as a means of expression to create works
21:09of art although it is true that this technique was once used to make clothing accessories
21:17but the design that existed on it was made from symbols ideograms
21:26which have been passed down from generation to generation
21:30on another level we thought it would be better to do other designs which will somehow please today's world
21:38one action the word nomo in wambara it means knowledge for me it means the quest for knowledge or the quest for
21:48understanding when bubaka started his social enterprise this former art teacher was focusing
21:54on differently abled people but when other youths asked to join in demand surged leading him to launch a full
22:02workshop-based initiative to train underprivileged young men besides the craft his students also learned
22:11about entrepreneurship responsibility and solidarity this is necessary because after production it is the
22:19integration of young people that interests us after production the products are sold after selling
22:27the products these young people receive money but we must not leave this money in their hands to do with as they wish
22:38this is why we have developed a management system to ensure that these young people can stay in life
22:47with this system all young people during the training create works and these works are sold for example in the
22:55storm after the sale the amount goes to them but we do not accept that all this money is used by young
23:04people we take a portion of this amount which we keep at our level here before the end of the training and at
23:12the end of the training this retained fund will constitute a working capital fund for the young people
23:19using fermented river mud bark and leaves apprentices create popolan mali's iconic mud cloth as they
23:29transform raw materials into wearables this talented team is empowered to dream big even though the future
23:37didn't often look rosy for some here when a young person has successfully completed training
23:44he is able to build he is able to build he is able to have a shelter that is to say he is able to have a roof
23:54he is able to build for himself then get married he prepares for retirement so to speak
24:06and after that he is able to integrate into life as a moderate citizen
24:19as soon as a young person manages to have all this we say that he has succeeded in life
24:26the training is based on malian culture which draws on traditional work habits based on both collective
24:33and individual work responsibility my vision for the future is that at the level of this country
24:44we try to organize young people based on positive values
24:50instead of young people being trained in entrepreneurship individually they should do so
24:56in the form of solidarity so that they can succeed in life as role models for bubacar and his apprentices
25:06their mod to master story is proof that tradition is the real innovation and together they're bringing
25:13the malian bogolan from segu to the world each piece carrying a story and a soul
25:21from johannesburg welcome to bollywood we hope that you enjoyed today's tasty and flavorful show
25:29don't forget to visit dw.com forward slash afrimax for more but until next time goodbye
25:51bye
25:59bye
26:01bye
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26:07bye
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