Live Arts Festival Blossoms In City Centre

If all the world is a stage, then it’s the expanse of grass under artist Mavetjiua Haimbodi’s dancing feet.

It’s the roots of the tree that cradle spoken word poet Frogman K and it’s the entirety of Zoo Park come to life for the fifth edition of the Otjomuise Live Arts Festival (Olaf) in Windhoek.

On a Saturday afternoon, the second day of the city centre festival is in full bloom. The theme, ‘A Garden of Expression: Cultivating Community Through the Arts’, is fitting and patrons crowd under a gazebo to escape the blazing heat.

In the open space in front of them, Haimbodi presents an ode to her father and the many walks he’s taken in his homeland of Namibia and in the United States. Blending recorded interviews, spoken word, music and movement, Haimbodi stages a stand-out solo that explores walking as a practice of familial bonding, longing and remembrance.

Quietly affecting, deeply personal yet relatable in its story of migration, in its folklore and in the simple act of walking, Haimbodi moves gracefully through space and time as she traverses landscapes in Namibia, the United States and also within herself.

As Haimbodi’s performance space is broken down in one area of the park, dancer Maria Anita’s takes root in another.

Using dance to tell the story of a village woman navigating the trials and noise of Windhoek, Maria Anita presents a vibey, energetic, Afropop and amapiano-fuelled performance that gets the modest crowd on its feet as she considers issues of culture, assimilation and mental health.

Moving to the middle of the park, the crowd awaits a performance by Soul Xpress. Employing an ensemble to examine the complexity of generational conditioning, cultural identity and the weight of expectation, particularly as a young girl, Soul X Press presents ‘Talks of Ages’, written and directed by Kuzajatu X Maamberua (Solve X).

The final performance I experience that day is a spoken word session by Frogman K. Barefoot beneath the shade of a tree, the storyteller begins with gratitude for the platform as well as a note on Namibia’s alarming rate of suicide and the specific struggle of an artist’s mental health.

Conversational, socially conscious yet hopeful, Frogman K plays his harmonica before performing ‘Youth Man’ and ‘Poor Man’s Pledge’, poetry on poverty, the scarcity myth that plagues Africa and the inherent potential of the youth.

“This year’s performances were incredibly diverse, ranging from movement and music to spoken word, storytelling and live bands. What stood out for me was how creatively culture was knitted into each piece,” says National Theatre of Namibia public relations officer Desiree Mentor.

Olaf is co-produced by the National Theatre of Namibia and Goethe-Institut Namibia. The event is supported by the National Arts Council of Namibia (NACN) and by media partner Energy 100FM.

“The festival brought together different languages, rhythms and stories, creating a space where tradition and contemporary expression met beautifully. It really felt like ‘culture in the park’, a vibrant celebration of artistic identity and creativity,” says Mentor.

“This year’s theme was ‘A Garden of Expression’, and Zoo Park provided the perfect backdrop for this. The natural setting really complemented the performances.”

Considering the power of public art, Mentor highlights its potential to improve access to the arts while building community.

“Public art has a unique ability to influence, inspire and bring people together. It connects art with everyday life, making creativity accessible to everyone not just those who go to galleries or theatres,” Mentor says.

“It really has the power to shift perspectives and strengthen community ties.”

Though I don’t stay for the music, social media shows that artists Najah, Lela, O.U_Slow and Tapz bloom during a festival that seems to suit its new location.

Yes, moving around the park can be tiresome. And, perhaps, a single stage would encourage people to settle in for the full experience, rather than leaving during disruptive relocations.

Maybe a tighter schedule that considers the actual length of the performances could dispel what often felt like tedious and unnecessary intervals. Improved access to refreshment and to a restroom could also kick things up a notch as would a stage closer to the park’s edge to attract more passing patrons.

Still, Olaf’s move to Zoo Park seems a sound one that has the potential to be even bigger and better next year.

One can’t deny the pure charm of the park, the delight of outdoor performance and the thrill of having passersby suddenly stumble upon art, and happily stay for the show.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com

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