Collective memory and the construction of a historical narrative, analysis and interpretation of selected Soweto-based community theatre plays, 1984–1994

Abstract

The focus of this study is on community theatre of a particular period and a specific place in South Africa, namely Soweto during the period 1984–1994. Three community theatre practitioners represent the best in artistic achievement during this period: Gibson Kente, Matsemela Manaka and Maishe Maponya. This study proposes that the plays produced by these Soweto-based playwrights warrant a narrative of their own to do justice to the substantial nature of each playwright’s contribution to South African theatre. They developed training methods and theatre-making processes that resulted in plays that were uniquely expressive of their own approach to theatre but also complementary to each other’s. In discussing Sowetan community theatre as an individual entity, the study also attempts to provide an understanding of the socio-economic context of Soweto. This is achieved by discussing various aspects of life in Soweto, namely transport, schooling, infrastructure, the influx of immigrants, ideological beliefs as well as various cultural venues. Therefore, the study aims to bring together aspects of Soweto in a coherent and comprehensive portrait of the township. Halbwachs’ collective memory, assisted in enriching the views of each playwright’s theatre style, and of how the socio-political environment influenced their work and how they in turn influenced other Soweto playwrights. Collective memory is the result of people relating to one another within the cadres sociaux or social framework. Halbwachs differentiates between history and memory and suggests that collective memory is organised through time and space. The social framework explains the manner in which an individual’s recollections are part of the wider community’s memories. Halbwachs argues that communities organise events around specific times and that communities use (cultural) spaces meaningfully (such as the space in which a play is performed is part of the communal experience of theatre). Drawing on public and private theatre archives, this study incorporates interviews conducted with Kente, Manaka and Maponya’s associates. Although their contributions to Sowetan theatre have been studied by other researchers, this study adds a new element to existing material by its use of Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory.

Lo mlando obhalwe lapha uqaphelisisa nge midlalo eyenziwe ngabantu ngesikhathi esithile besebenza endaweni ekhethiwe lapha Iningizumo Africa, ngokucacisela, e-Soweto, ngalesikhathi: 1984–1994. Imidlalo ka Gibson Kente, Matsemela Manaka no Maishe Maponya, beyikhipha ukuchwephesha ngalesikhathi. Lo mlando uphakamisa umcabango wokuthi lemidlalo ebhalwe ngalabo chwephesha, kufanele unikezwe ukuqabuka, ukukhombisa ukuthi imidlalo ebhalwe ngalabo chwepheshe yi sipho sase-Ningizimu Africa. Lobo chwepheshe ba sombulula izindlela ezintsha zokufundisa zokwenza imidlalo; ngaleyo ndlela ba hlumelela imidlalo ebonakalisa indlela yokushumayela efanele bona. Ngoku phikisana ngemidlalo eyenziwe ngabantu base Soweto, lomolando uzama ukukhombisa inqondo yendlela ukuthi inhlangano kade iphila, noma iwonga kanjani e-Soweto. Ukwenza lokho, lo mlando ukhumbiso ukuthi, ukuthutha, izikole, izisa, nokufika kwabantu abaphuma kwamanye amazwe, ukukholwa kwizindlela ezohlokile ngendlela youkubusa, futhi, nezindawo lapho imidlalo beyikhona: ukubonakalisa ukuthi zonke lezinto bezisebenza kanjani eSoweto. Kanjalo, lomlando uzama ukuhlanganisa izimvela yezindlela zokuphila eSoweto ukuthi zanamathele sizokwazi ukubona iSoweto ngokugcwele. I-collective memory ka Halbwachs, isizile ukucebisa ukuhumusha kwa babhali bemidlalo, nokubinsa isisindo senhlangano yaseSoweto kule midlalo yabo, futhi nokubonisa isisindo kwabanye ababhali bemidlalo baseSoweto. I-collective memory isuka kwindlela umphakathi wonke uphila nokukhulumisana ngakhona phakathi kwi cadres sociaux noma kwinhlangano yase Soweto. UHalbwachs uhlukanisa izindabazezwe nezikhumbuzo futhi usho ukuthi nokuqongelela kwezikhumbuzo zenhlangano zinga hlela ngesi siskhathi and ngendawo lapho izehlo zakudala zenzeka khona. Masikhuluma nge nhlangano (social framework) sibonisa ukuthi umuntu ukhumbula izehlo zakudala nabanye abantu bo’mphakathi. UHalbwachs oveza obala ukuthi umphakathi uhlela ngesu izehlo ngokufanele kwesikhathi esithile, futhi nokuthi inhlangano ibona izindawo lapho kuboniswa imidlalo njengezi ndawo ezinomqondo. Lomlando uqoqa imithombo ehlukahlukene futhi nokuhlangana nabangani baka Kente, Manaka no-Maponya. Noma abanye abafundi babhalile ngezipho zika Kente, Manaka no Maponya, lomlando ufaka okusha ngokusebenzisa ukuqabuka kwe collective memory ephuma ku-Halbwachs.