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With this episode of Afrimaxx, coming from the foot of Thaba Bosiu, the birthplace of the Basotho Nation, we are meeting the cultural trailblazers shaping Africa's future – from Cameroon to Nigeria and Senegal.
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00:00We're starting today's journey at the foot of Tababusiw, the birthplace of the Basuta
00:11Nation. Here at the Tababusiw Cultural Village, the past and present come together. A perfect
00:18starting point for today's show, where we meet the cultural trailblazers shaping Africa's
00:23future. But before we get into that, here's a taste of what's coming up. Nigerian artist
00:29John Madu brings a modern African twist to the works of Vincent van Gogh.
00:34See how Senegalese architecture is influencing fresh design and construction in Dakar. And
00:41in Cameroon, we visit an interior designer who's tapping into her heritage to redefine contemporary
00:48architecture. I'm Sita Badsohomari and you're watching Afromax.
00:53When Nigerian artist John Madu was invited to be the first African designer to exhibit at
01:12the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, he chose to showcase pieces that breathe new life into
01:18historic artworks. Let's take a look.
01:21Art history has long told only one side of the story. Now, John Madu's brush adds a bold
01:30African voice, rich with identity and rhythm. What happens when the canvas finally speaks
01:37our language? I feel when the canvas finally speaks our language, it actually tells people
01:43the truth about where we're from and no stereotypes involved because there's a lot of stereotypical
01:51notions about certain places we've never been to. I feel it's deeper. There's an African
01:57renaissance. John Madu is the first African artist to exhibit at Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum.
02:04This groundbreaking partnership was initiated by the museum's ReFarmers, a group dedicated
02:09to diversifying its perspectives and bringing in new voices.
02:13ReFarmers in this exhibition called Paint Your Path are a group of young adults that tried
02:20to bridge a gap with the Van Gogh Museum and the rest of the world and what is contemporary
02:28and what young adults would relate to. They saw my work and liked it because I've always
02:33had like, for a long time I've always referenced Van Gogh in my paintings because of how I feel
02:40I could understand his journey as an artist. So they probably have followed my work for a
02:45while and they reached out to me and we've had the conversation for over like almost a year
02:51before the show started. John, who admired Van Gogh's art from a young age, saw parallels
02:58with his own journey. This inspired him to reinterpret some of Van Gogh's masterpieces through a West
03:04African lens, bridging local narratives with a global audience. Me having contact with Van Gogh's work
03:11as a young creative myself and learning about his history, having the experiences as a young child
03:21actually made me see clearly like oh this is what this artist was going through at this certain time.
03:27It had a impact on me because of my connection with my childhood and how I was feeling at the time,
03:33how the reaction to people with what I was creating. Most of my work there are indigenous materials,
03:40some motives, some iconography, which the Western world universal global experience can recognize.
03:52Like the monoblock chair, like the Ghana must go bag, you know these are things that have different
03:57interpretations all over the world. Through colour, texture and metaphor, John is building a dialogue
04:04across time. How does he bridge time with the canvas? Growing up in Lagos, I would say the environment
04:09around me shaped my visual language because back then there was a lot of popular culture that was
04:15coming into Lagos and our cultural heritage mixed together. It gave me a nuance, a fresh aspect and
04:25perspective to how I see the world. But the Van Gogh Expo is more than just an exhibition, it is rewriting of
04:32artistic narrative. For most of the work on this show, it's mostly all paints, little acrylic, some ink,
04:40figurative paintings, landscape basically. For John, his Van Gogh reimaginations are a walk beyond recognition
04:50toward representation and he is sure this is a significant moment for African art globally. Being the first African
04:58artist, Nigerian artist, Nigerian artist to show at the Van Gogh Museum, it's a personal milestone for me
05:05because this is an artist I've known, read about, studied as a child, is a mind-blowing experience.
05:15With his West African answer to Van Gogh, John Madu has achieved a pioneering feat. What role does African
05:22culture play for him in reshaping a global art history? Africa has a role to play in the rest of
05:28the world with what we have to offer. We have to offer a rich culture, our knowledge, our heritage in
05:35general, so it's inevitable. What's next for John Madu and how does he plan to keep walking forward?
05:43I have like residency programs lined up, I have other exhibitions, I have more work to create.
05:51John Madu's journey from Lagos to Amsterdam is a first step in the direction that African art history
05:58is not a marginal phenomenon. It is the starting point. Rising proudly just outside Maseru, Tababusiw
06:07Cultural Village is more than a destination. It's the birthplace of a nation where history and living
06:13Basutu traditions come alive. Joining me today as we explore Lesutu's roots is Bukke Chakyala,
06:19the guest relations officer here. Hello, Bukke. Hi, May. Hi, how are you? I'm fine. How are you? I'm
06:24well, thank you. Welcome to Towsu Cultural Village. Let me take you through. Thank you so much for having
06:29us. You're welcome. So what's the one thing every Masutu person should know about Tababusiw but maybe
06:37doesn't? It is important to note that it's more than just a tourism site, but it is a symbol of where we come
06:45from and who we are. It is also a place where Basutu culture is preserved and protected.
06:53Thank you so much for your time, Bukke. Thank you so much as well for visiting our establishment. We are
06:59very pleased to have you here. How does traditional Senegalese architecture intersect with modern design
07:07in a way that is functional? Dakar-based architect Nzinga Bigueng Bup shows us how.
07:14Dakar, Senegal. In the historic neighborhood of Vanhoek, the architectural firm Vorofila has its
07:20headquarters. Co-founder Nzinga Mbub was born in Mozambique to a Cameroonian mother and a Senegalese
07:27father. After studying in London, she returned to West Africa to realize her vision of sustainable
07:32architecture. I feel very blessed and very lucky. Here I feel total freedom to be able to invest myself
07:38in the conversations of architecture but then use that in order to inform the practice and build it.
07:44Together with co-founder Nicolas Rondé, she is working on Vorofila's current project,
07:50the rainforest gallery for the Museum of West African Art, MOVA. This prestigious project
07:56blends functional design with traditional building materials.
07:59The rainforest gallery sits within the MOA campus in Benin City. We use natural materials such as
08:07timber which is going to be used for the roof or raw earth which is used in the walls. It has a great
08:11capacity to absorb humidity in the air so that's a great way to also, you know, reduce the humidity
08:17level which is important for the artwork that is going to be there. In 2019, at age 30, she founded her
08:24architecture firm. Two years later, her team was already tackling one of its first major projects,
08:30a residential building in Dakar's Angor district. The concept? Climate conscious design, a shaded facade
08:36of cooling clay bricks and natural ventilation. Smart design with attitude.
08:42I do feel that as an African we need a bit more of a radical approach. A radical approach that is sort of
08:47anchored in our traditional knowledges to really make buildings and cities that sort of work better
08:55for us from a climatic point of view, from a cultural point of view, from an economical point of view.
09:01And I do believe that the use of locally sourced material, low-tech materials, is going to enable us to do that.
09:07Her favourite building material is raw red earth, abundant across Africa. Mixed with about 7% cement
09:15and a touch of lime, it's pressed into shape and sun-dried. A climate-friendly method that doesn't
09:21require firing. This is how buildings were traditionally made, and what the future could look like entirely
09:28without concrete. Today, modern earth architecture is still a niche, but Nzinga is proving its value with
09:34this residential project in southern Dakar. There's sometimes a lot of scepticism when it comes to
09:43what can be done. You know, people have a lot of constructs that have developed over times and that
09:47we need to deconstruct by actually doing. So it helps that we have clients that are willing to go for it,
09:53that we have architects, engineers, contractors that are all participants in this revolution. And one
10:01building at a time, we're showing that it's possible and more people are adhering to it.
10:07Change of scene to Francis Carré's studio in Berlin, Germany. The architect from Burkina Faso,
10:13winner of the Pritzker Prize, is a pioneer in sustainable earth-based construction. One of his
10:19most renowned projects is the new Goethe Institute in Dakar, Senegal. Nzinga's Vorophila team is managing
10:28on-site construction in collaboration with the German planning office rebuilding.
10:34For Nzinga, the project is more than just work. It's a statement.
10:40We knew that this project has the capacity to really shift the perspective on earth and architecture,
10:47because it's a cultural institution, because it's going to be a public building. And we were just
10:52excited and wanted to make sure that we participate to the success of the project. Having, obviously,
10:57Francis Carré being chosen, I think, having a West African architect operating and doing this
11:02building in Dakar, also based in Germany, so obviously being this kind of like cultural bridge,
11:07you know, was a golden opportunity. Nzinga's next opportunity arises in Venice in 2023,
11:14when Leslie Locco, curator of the Architecture Biennale, invites the most exciting African architects,
11:21including Nzinga, to showcase their work. While still in Venice, Nzinga is also honoured by the
11:28Canadian Centre for Architecture, CCA, by naming her one of its curators in Dakar. She's a voice of a new
11:35sustainable architectural movement. I realise that I'm even less alone than I thought we were, and it's
11:41quite heartwarming to be able to also have those conversations and see that we're not the only ones
11:46asking ourselves those questions, and that we're thinking collectively about how to redefine the
11:50role of architecture. So I'm a lot more involved in to be able to go back and kind of continue in the
11:56multidisciplinary approach that I have to my practice and connect more as well with the others,
12:01because there's been a lot of exchanges of contacts, of emails, and with the true will to collaborate.
12:08Back in Dakar, the newly appointed CCA curator immediately sets her mandate in motion.
12:14She organises panels, researches Senegal's modern architectural history, and gives a stage to
12:20forgotten architects. While giving others visibility, she is also becoming more prominent herself.
12:26Nzinga has long been a role model for a new generation of African architects, a role she embraces with
12:33poise, curiosity, and responsibility. Her latest challenge? Building a network. Together with colleagues,
12:41she founded Female Black Architects, a space for exchange and mutual empowerment. Here, women architects
12:48from across Africa connect, share experiences, ideas, and strategies. Nzinga is a unifying figure whose
12:55influence extends far beyond Dakar, and even beyond Africa.
13:03From contemporary building techniques, we're stepping back into time. Now, tour guide Mui Loagan
13:08Tauleng is going to show us around some of the different aspects of traditional Basutu life
13:13at the time of our founding father, King Museshe I. Is it possible, do you think, to modernize tradition
13:20without losing its soul? It's possible to change our tradition?
13:26Because in those days, we Basutu, as we were wearing the blankets, we were wearing them
13:32and masking blankets. Now, you see, we change to wool and cotton.
13:38Mm-hmm. Thank you so much for your time, Dado Mui Loa, and thank you very much for the hat.
13:44Okay, thank you. You're welcome.
13:46Thank you. Next, we're off to the streets of Douala, Cameroon. Here, we meet a visionary
13:52designer using local craftsmanship to create interiors that are proudly Cameroonian and refreshingly modern.
13:59What does it mean to design a space that feels like home? In a world where interior design is often
14:07seen as mere aesthetics, can design become the heartbeat of a culture? Cameroonian visionary
14:14Manuela Kamadju sees design as more than arranging furniture.
14:19Today, we are in a generation that is really looking for this well-being, this happiness.
14:25I think it starts with the spaces in which we live. If the spaces in which we live reflect well-being,
14:34happiness and joy, we will feel good.
14:40The interior design industry in Cameroon has been underdeveloped for years and a challenge,
14:46especially for women whose roles are often seen as more traditional. It's in this challenging landscape
14:54that Manuela decided to craft her path. Her journey to becoming was not linear. Growing up,
15:02her passion for art was encouraged only as a hobby. After studying business and working in finance,
15:09she discovered the power of design through rebranding projects for her employer across Europe. The blend
15:17of her corporate and creative experience planted the seed to pursue interior design full-time.
15:25I started in the interior decoration business about seven years ago. I worked in an industrial group
15:31where I was the operations manager. I was looking for a small activity that would allow me to escape.
15:38After 13 years of transforming brands and projects in Europe and Africa, she returned to Cameroon to pursue
15:47her acquired passion. With her company, Kebe Homes, Manuela launched a design studio. A space aimed at elevating
15:57local craftsmanship and celebrating creativity in every project. But what drove these finance professionals to
16:07live a lucrative career to transform the interior architecture landscape in her country?
16:15Our approach to interior architecture is to leave the well-being as a footprint in the interiors
16:20and living spaces of our clients. This will be reflected in the functionality, in the textures we choose,
16:30in the colors we choose, and in all the elements that will accompany the design so that the client can
16:38really float in the house and have this feeling of well-being when he works because nothing is complicated.
16:44Everything is simple for him and reflects the way he lives.
16:52Manuela's first interior project was just at her doorstep.
16:58My first project was a family project because my husband wanted to create a medical office
17:10and so he asked me to help him decorate a little bit. And so that's it. It's a project that was pretty
17:18cool to do. A lot of mistakes were made because I did not know Cameroon well yet. I did not know the
17:26sector well yet either. But it was the source of a lot of learning precisely in the project management
17:35that I was talking about. And today it's a project that I'm pretty proud of.
17:43She now leads a growing team of 13 permanent staff, most of whom are women under the age of 25.
17:57What has given her the advantage to penetrate the market in Cameroon?
18:04When we started, the interior design in Cameroon was not very well known.
18:09We knew architects, but not necessarily interior architects. And it was necessary to make it more
18:18popular. We communicated a lot to be able to educate the clients around us. It was not necessarily obvious
18:28because people sometimes think that we were magicians. But over time, I think people began to
18:35understand what it was. That understanding has earned her clients in diverse spaces,
18:47from her husband's clinic to more fun properties. For example, for this project here, we are on a space.
18:55It's a nail bar that we were putting in place. So at the base, we helped the client to find this space,
19:03which was actually a small villa that was used for offices. So we were in materials that were very classic,
19:11a bit shiny, beige, standard, and the ceilings all smooth. And so here we are trying to make it evolve into
19:20something much warmer, which will rather encourage well-being.
19:27Manuela is not about to slow down. She sees design as a search for artistic solutions.
19:35She is using her experience and exposure from her previous career to modernize her approach in Cameroon.
19:42Design is the perfect mix between aesthetic and functionality. Functionality, first of all,
19:52because we personally are interior designers. So inevitably, we will design a space in which
19:58people will live, in which people will move around. So these spaces must be functional.
20:05Kebe Homes is more than a business. It is a vision. One that ensures that each work done
20:12is simple and authentic. The company also gives back by training young people. As Manuela continues to
20:20shape the future of interior design in Cameroon, her journey is a testament to resilience and purpose
20:28to inspire and transform lives. From trash to treasure, tradition to trends, how is one Swati designer
20:36making high-end, sustainable jewellery from what the rest of the world throws away?
20:44Born and raised in rural Iswatini, Nduduzi Glamini spent his youth as a shepherd,
20:49witnessing the cultural significance of cattle.
20:52In Swati culture, we consider cattle as a Swati bank. We would milk them, use their dung as manure,
21:02and harness them to the plow to cultivate our fields.
21:05Nduduzi saw a significant shift, where cattle were no longer valued from head to tail. Traditionally,
21:16the horns and bones of slotted cows were kept in remembrance, but this practice
21:21has gradually faded. So Nduduzi responded to this cultural loss
21:25by transforming it into a business idea with global reach.
21:31Since I was raised by my grandfather, who had me take care of his cows,
21:35I started thinking, what else can I do with a cow besides meat?
21:40I realized, besides meat, cows provide valuable horns and bones.
21:44With cattle being regarded as the Swati bank, Nduduzi saw the discarding of these materials
21:56as wasteful and believed they should be valued.
21:58This idea came about because of a tradition my grandfather practiced.
22:07Once a year, during a family event, he would hang horns on my grandmother's hut,
22:12to mark who had joined the family that year, whether through birth or marriage.
22:22Nduduzi's creative process is a fusion of the old and the new.
22:25He uses traditional crafting techniques passed down through generations,
22:30but applies them with modern design principles.
22:32This innovative approach is key to creating a product
22:36that honors tradition and has an appeal to his customers.
22:47Our processing starts with collecting the bones and cleaning them first.
22:50To clean them, we boil them to remove the fat inside.
22:54We remove them from the boil and let them dry.
22:57My assistant then begins the cutting process.
22:59He cuts the shape as required by the design we are working with.
23:10He passes that over to me for me to sand them down for further precision.
23:14I send them back to him for him to install the brass fittings.
23:18It brings them back to me for final sanding and polishing.
23:25Holes are then drilled into the pieces and I finally install hooks.
23:30Then we package. The product is now ready for the client.
23:37Lupon for design is more than just a brand.
23:40It's a powerful act of cultural preservation and sustainability.
23:44When a person wears my jewellery, I want them to feel proud,
23:51knowing that this has been made from natural materials
23:54that would have otherwise been discarded.
24:00And what do his customers think of the jewellery?
24:03One of the funny aspects about Lupon for design is that when we say it's made by horn,
24:07we have to be extremely clear it's made by cow horn.
24:10It's also part of the Swazi tradition to use the bone for some sort of either spiritual healing
24:17or to use it in jewellery making, for example, like he has done.
24:22As well as the story behind his skills and where his brand has come from
24:28is a lovely story to tell to the customer so that when they buy his jewellery and wear it,
24:32they have a story to tell to their friends.
24:34They have a story to tell the story to tell the story to tell the story to tell the story.
24:39Horns are dark, bones are white, they will always maintain this colour however long you have them.
24:48My clients are happy that they have a product that has been handmade by a Swazi using his skill
24:54to sustain the livelihood as well as safeguard and promote Swazi cultural heritage.
24:59I blend my heritage with contemporary designs. I hope my jewellery brings joy and a sense of longevity.
25:08This is something a client can pass on to the next generation and so on.
25:12In a world of fast-paced consumerism, Mdudu Ziklamini offers a different path.
25:19Through Lupondor designs, he is not just creating jewellery but building a brand that tells a story,
25:25celebrates tradition, and inspires us all to look at waste with a new perspective.
25:32Today's exploration is complete, but I hope your inspiration is reawakened.
25:37For more, check us out online at dw.com forward slash afrobacks.
25:42From the kingdom in the sky, we'll see you soon.
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