- 4 weeks ago
Today host Itumeleng Banda trades out traffic for culture - on Main Street Sundays in Johannesburg, South Africa. Let’s check, how the pulse of modern Africa comes alive in different cities.
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00:07what if I told you that on an ordinary Sunday the pulse of modern Africa comes alive from city life
00:13creativity and future living all in one place music in the air flavors that hit and energies
00:21that you certainly can't fake welcome to Main Street Sundays this is where the city trades
00:28are all the traffic for culture from street wear and also not forgetting that street food that will
00:34have you saying just one more bite this is Johannesburg certainly in its element it's bold
00:40it's vibrant and it's certainly full of soul but before we explore the streets let's give you a
00:46glimpse as to what you can expect in this episode have you ever wondered how the African drum sound
00:53is made from scratch well Samson is in Benin to find out our dream home series brings big views
01:01and clean lines in a home on the southern tip of Africa that's serving coastal calm from all
01:07female crews to my tattoos that double as rolling masterpieces we see how Kenya turned graffiti into
01:15culture my name is iti milling horse hadia habanda and here watching apri max now this is not the
01:36sucker that you think you know kapula cimbala literally dives into five levels of pure adventure
01:42pushing limits chasing girls and at some point literally running for her life it's bold it's
01:48unexpected and certainly something that you do not want to miss everyone says Lusaka is for hassle
01:58but I'm here to prove what the world side that will make your heart race faster five levels one mission
02:04I test the circus wildest experiences level one hiking whether it's a raggedy trails of the
02:12Lusaka National Park or the scenic paths of Tiffany Canyon hiking is the ultimate flakes of health it's low stress
02:20but high impact it builds grit improves cardiovascular endurance and connects you to the real Zambia without needing a four
02:28by four so this makes your blood run real fast
02:33and your heart pump faster hiking is our warm-up but it gets wild from here level two raises the
02:42adrenal line fast if you want to level up there's something about zipline at a gazillion miles per hour that
02:49hits differently
02:50level two zipline in the new Zambia we aren't just looking at the ceiling we're treating it like a suggestion
02:58gravity what's that
03:05you really never get used to zip lining the adrenaline rush is crazy but it's exciting I love it
03:21okay heart rate is up but now about to get serious
03:28Tiffany's Canyon is not just about the pretties level three is about strategic patience
03:36thank you right now we're putting on the armor of goods Aaron we need to hide right
04:08I did that you did this paintball slows the pace down but slow focus turns into real danger
04:17dodging paint is one thing thank you but now we're moving to the real thing thank you very much sir
04:27okay now we're moving from plastic pallets to actual predators
04:34we have on walls here as you can see I have changed my outfit ready if anything goes wrong
04:40I can run but I need it to be comfortable so level four Chaminuka here I am ready to meet
04:49the fastest land
04:50animal on earth let's see how it goes
05:02this is the ultimate Instagrammable thrill
05:10it's a big cut all done with Chaminuka on to the next one but for this particular one I need
05:18to be all
05:18covered up and you will see why
05:24level five the absolute limit I'm at Kalimba Farm Reptile Park winding myself up to carry a python
05:31yes you heard that right smart girls play hard right they say it it will be fun they say it
05:37let's find out
05:47it's opening its eyes
05:51make sure it doesn't open then you have to smile
06:01yes there we go
06:06I've hiked I have flown and I have survived the cheetahs but the snake that's where I draw the line
06:14my heart is wired my heart is peak catch you on the trail
06:26now there's something really exciting happening in the heart of Joburg and trust me it's not what
06:31you expect joining me right now is Dawn Robertson who is one of the key forces behind Josie my Josie
06:39this is an initiative and a movement that is getting people to reimagine how we experience the
06:45city now Dawn first of all let's start with we are in Joburg CBD can you believe it you talk
06:51about
06:51Main Street Sundays right and you said this is the education hub so for those who don't know Main Street
06:56Sundays what are they maybe about so this is Main Street Sundays and it's part of what we're
07:01calling our open street initiative so this is really a big experiment a tactical experiment to prove to
07:08the city that we can close off streets to cars and taxis and invite people to come back to the
07:13streets you too young to remember but those of us that are older know that we played in the streets
07:19we came home and the street lights came on kids today don't get that opportunity so that's why we
07:24wanted to draw as many kids into the city get them to ride their bikes and skate and to rollerblade
07:29in the streets and really about getting community I mean look at this where do you find people
07:35sitting silently reading in the middle of the city well thank you so much Dawn I look forward to
07:41exploring what I'd like you to show me around let's go from hands that carve to beats that travel across
07:55the continent Africa's heartbeat certainly lives within every single drum rooted in tradition but also
08:02echoing beyond its origins this is where sound becomes so ladies and gentlemen kick off those high
08:20views because we about to embrace the Africa dance today I've got two incredible hustlers one is
08:31a percussionist my name is Unger Cecile I'm a member of Pepitat I'm a percussionist and dancer
08:41and the other is a drum maker my name is Ahuan Bueke Isaac I make drums this this is my
08:50hustle in Africa
08:51we say you can't dance without a drum so I access it to take me to the famous drum maker
08:57in the Republic
08:58if you want to try this craft if you want to try this craft the first tool we use for
09:03shaping is this
09:04one we call it Hanvi Achue the second tool is called Akun no matter what type of drum you are
09:23making you
09:24you will need this tool to make holes in the wood the tool is very important for shaping the drum
09:33we call it Hanvi nook patan guys it's so unfortunate I cannot try this out how I wish I can
09:45do it but
09:45according to the tradition stranger is not allowed to use all these tools Sam this is what we use to
09:54scratch the drums body we don't use sandpaper no matter what kind of drum it is we use this to
10:01clean its
10:07body can you see how smooth it is now after putting on the leather we place the drum back in
10:15the Sun we
10:16soak the leather in water to make it soft once it's soft we attach it to the drum and we
10:21put it back in
10:29the Sun to dry to make the drum takes a lot of process from carving the wood to getting the
10:34animal
10:34leather and thereafter they take it to the market and people like pep it up come to buy the drum
10:42wow you've got so many drums here now tell me what name do you call this one it is Pavle
10:48Pavle yeah and
10:49this one Pavle Pavle same drums is Pavle nice one and this one no this now tell me what does
11:03it take to
11:03be a percussionist all you need is the desire the enthusiasm and the passion to become a percussionist
11:10as this is where you learn the skills there is no requirement to have prior experience even if
11:16you've never played before we will guide you in learning how to play guys it's not easy to be a
11:23drummer this guy's trying what kind of event you guys normally attend on a fact we have performed
11:29several shows in France we went to Dubai for Expo 2020 we went to Germany specifically to Bayreuth
11:42and we participated in the mask festival in Porto Novo and the Vodun Days festival in Wida last January
11:51is this your also profitable yes it's profitable because first of all when we are invited for
11:59festivals as artists and in order to avoid any issues we are given money and the money is not
12:07for our supervisors to take and use no no our travel our tickets we do not use our own money
12:17to pay for
12:20this we use the money for these shows to pay for the visa plane ticket suitcases food and everything
12:26the valise I'm going to consider you guys have a lot of young people among your team how do you
12:33guys
12:33balance your education and your profession our schooling is also funded by the perpetrator
12:38center each year we receive study aids to help us perform well in school including supplies and other
12:45resources so they help and support us you don't so good so I'm wondering have you managed to twist
12:51your body like to see your body like it's normal because I've been learning to dance and sing for
13:00six years I've always learned it here wow so guys as the great African proverb says when the drum beats
13:14the
13:14earth dances and when the earth dances the spirit is free
13:24Roland from young urbanists is reimagining the way in which cities are designed they're advocating for
13:30inclusivity shared streets and also just the way in which things are actually done within the city
13:35Roland first of all it's amazing to be here to be walking around how much closer are we to getting
13:42to a
13:43city that is shared and designed with people it might long way to go but we have to start yes
13:49there's potholes in our roads but we actually think beyond potholes we're rethinking what roads are for
13:55to show that how we can make streets like Main Street safer but of course how do we make the
14:00whole
14:00city be safer well Bob first of all let's talk about the excitement of the city trading our traffic
14:04for culture well I'm not a big fan of traffic because I'm a cyclist so the more traffic we can
14:09get
14:09rid of and open spaces like this for people to come in and have the freedom is fantastic for me
14:15and finally the best thing about being here today have fun yeah like let us have fun and let us
14:20meet
14:21new people you know that is the only thing that I'm here for by the way yeah thank you
14:33time now for dream homes where my colleague Balisa Dembe steps into a home out in her manners this home
14:40has spaces views and design that definitely inspires across Africa incredible homes are raising the bar of
14:51modern design this series gives you a front row seat to unapologetically stylish spaces the kind
14:59you can't help but say screenshot and dream about who said a holiday home has to play it casual swap
15:07city life for a coastal escape like this and suddenly leaving on a Sunday feels optional
15:15Calessa Dembe is in Pringle Bay exploring a gorgeous seaside retreat designed by Mark Anthony
15:20Houston of Lim this home proves that holiday living can still deliver full-blown luxury with
15:27its entertainment spaces placed high to soak up the ocean views this home saves the best for last
15:37and as we head upstairs the design starts to unfold one stunning space at a time
15:48so here we've reached the main living space which is where all the action happens
15:53it's such a wonderful homely space mark thank you so much for inviting me out
15:58tell me about this project so the client brief was to take a very sad dated house the structure
16:05existed but it was quite pokey um where there were lots of low ceilings there was literally one
16:10bathroom for four bedrooms which was ridiculous um and a lot of like unused space in the home
16:16um so we took everything we stripped our wife back down tell me about the layout of the home
16:21on three levels um on the dune um reserve which overlooks the ocean um but it's what's lovely
16:28is when you come from the street it's quite imposing and it sort of seems to sort of project
16:32itself out of the dune and out of the fain bus around it um so as you come in there's
16:36a lovely
16:37little foyer area which leads off into a beautiful workspace um which is perfectly kitted out for
16:42sort of working from home as you meander there's a scent through the central staircase you get to
16:48the second level which is a lovely haven where you can retreat the bedrooms are all separated
16:53from the rest of the living space um and then you meander up the staircase again to this wonderful
16:58expansive living space where everyone enjoys themselves and has a great time
17:04this is the home's main hangout big open but cleverly zoned so everyone can do their own thing
17:11oversized sofas serious tv vibes and just the right amount of winter coziness make it perfect
17:17for misty pringle bay days and long binge sessions
17:25stepping into the kitchen i'm immediately attracted by that dusty green and the brass details
17:31yes so you'll see that like sort of silvery um sagey green is quite it's a common thread that runs
17:37throughout the whole home and we wanted something to with this kitchen to be a little bit more
17:41um on the bold side which is quite exciting so lots of natural timbers and then the brass hardware
17:47is just something that will just patina beautiful over age and adds that sort of metallic element to
17:52the space the kitchen flow straight out of the bride deck with stacking windows that slide open
17:59turning cooking into a full-on social event easy chats shared plates and zero barriers
18:07um so you see we're now in the dining space and but what we've what we've done is we've tried
18:11to
18:11sort of bleed the kitchen out so it's not so compartmentalized into the rest of the living space
18:16by linking it with a beautiful cabinet there filled with glassware and you'll see behind us also that
18:22green that lovely green that you love so much continues into this dining area and mark leading up the
18:28stairs i caught a glimpse of that gorgeous passageway leading to the bedrooms it creates a resort
18:33relaxed feel we wanted to try and create um the the bedroom area of the home sort of like a
18:40retreat
18:41something something that was quite separate from from the rest of the living spaces you know someone
18:45where you can go be quiet and um and just reflect on on and relax
18:53the bedrooms peel off the central spine and with every step the vibe softens muted tones layered textures
19:01and all the feels comfort gives every room including the master that calm cocooned energy
19:08smart planning turns one bathroom into a run of en-suites all linked through some fabulous materials
19:15this home is proof that beach living can be effortless and still surprise you
19:24it's the kind of holiday home where everything just clicks the layout the mood the details this is
19:32design that doesn't need drama to impress
19:37so we can get away or forever home
19:43often synonymous with city is graffiti
19:46khaled prince has handpicked some kenyan artists who are not just turning streets into galleries
19:51but they're actually making a real difference
20:00think graffiti is just paint on walls think again in kenya it's loud bold and it means something more
20:09let's check it out coming in at number three the graffiti girls and all female crew using street art
20:16to speak up stand out and own the streets
20:20for us as graffiti girls painting gives us a voice and who better to paint issues that affect women
20:27than women themselves than girls themselves
20:29this isn't just graffiti it's showing what's really happening in these communities
20:35things that we like to address are things like social justice voicing out issues of again gender-based violence
20:43because it still exists and as women we go through it a lot and as women we we love to
20:49have the
20:49pleasure of painting about it but what sparked the graffiti girls why there was a need to form graffiti
20:56girls we were all male writers graffiti artists and then there were too many issues uh socially
21:03affecting women in kenya young women artists can come like a safe space to my classes and i could teach
21:11both uh graffiti art how to use spray paint the medium of spray paint as a tool to paint
21:18the graffiti girls stories and voices are hitting the streets hard
21:24the message that we want to put out is empowerment especially in communities where that doesn't really exist
21:36from painting the streets to driving the culture because in nairobi
21:41even the buses are a canvas at number two it's matatus
21:51the feeling is so thrilling as in as compared to other types of matatus when you board a matatu
21:57which has a lot of graffiti and the crew is fun and the music is loud and considering i'm a
22:03young
22:03person that's what we young people like matatus are easily the coolest ride on the streets and this is
22:11a brian manyama aka graph he's putting the spotlight on the world of matatus
22:19through showcasing the matatus i feel like it's a really good way of being an ambassador of kenya
22:26because first of all you get to showcase uh the art you get showcase even the lifestyle behind it
22:33and this brings fulfillment graf's also an award-winning creative he works with teams to turn these
22:41rides into rolling artworks in terms of collaborations we usually work with the graffiti artists and
22:49also graphic designers in terms of developing concepts within the creative arts industry graffiti
22:55really plays a big role because it's the first thing you'll get to see when a matatu approaches
23:00you or when you see a video or even a picture of a matatu the matatu industry solidifies kenya's
23:08identity by the art that showcase it's something that is unique uh not just in africa but throughout
23:15the world and it also provides a very huge market for youth employment
23:24and at number one a name you can't ignore the godfather of graffiti in nairobi bank slave
23:32i use it as a voice i use it as a tool just to communicate or just to bring a
23:38dialogue to the
23:40world or anyone else who wants to view this piece of work and probably get inspiration out of it
23:48so it's important for me because i can inspire people with it and he totally slaps
23:55a master of graffiti but his journey must have started somewhere i studied fine art for my three
24:04years there we used to go out and do graffiti gigs and this was more impactful because it's in the
24:12streets and there's more audience than when you have it in a gallery where the audience might be
24:18not as much as it is in the streets bank slaves work isn't just striking it also carries meaning
24:27from murals of presidents to athletes and powerful tributes in moments of tragedy like after the horrific
24:35terrorist attack on this mall in kenya when he painted a living piece of artwork around a drain pipe
24:50the work is gone now street art isn't made to last but that's a part of the story for an
24:58artist
24:59where when you're painting on a wall you don't have the expectation that this piece will stay a long time
25:06because most of them are not your walls so we just come onto this wall and just put our magic
25:15there
25:16in kenya street art is more than just art it lives breathes and demands attention that's what we at
25:23afrimax call seriously cool so from the flavors to the beats main street sundays is the perfect reminder
25:30that the heartbeat of the city is not in its traffic but rather within its people so the next time
25:36that
25:36the streets open up make sure that you come through you feel the vibe and you incorporate it within the
25:42the story
25:43so
25:44so
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