Utopian Reality: Africa Utopia, 2017

Once again, London’s Southbank Centre was taken over by ‘Africa Utopia’ – for a two-day mix of talks, concerts, and merchandise, all with a distinctly African flavour.

So many activities were crammed into the two days that the hardest part of the weekend was in deciding how to be in several places at the same time; ‘do I go to the music concert, the panel-led talk, song workshop or just browse and buy some clothes/shoes/artworks, cards etc…?’

Let’s get the clichés out of the way: the place really was a blaze of colour as you’d expect at an African event taking place in-and-outdoors, where even the weather was African Sunsine’; whether from the plethora of pop-up businesses, selling clothes, books, beauty products, jewellery, shoes and much else or the audience; many of whom came ready to make sure the ‘sights to see’ weren’t restricted to the items on sale.

There were various and exciting displays of Africa-wear that were a joy to see, representing most corners of Africa’s diverse cultures.

I appeared on a panel discussing the topic ‘African Futures: what next?’  The four-person panel ruminated on the chances of African nations thriving in ‘the new global, political landscape’. As a fan of the event, I would have been whether I was scheduled to be on a panel or not. 

The next panel featured the acclaimed film director, Amma Asante (‘Belle’, ‘A United Kingdom’, to name her most well-known films), being interviewed by Hannah Pool, the festival’s curator/coordinator, on the theme ‘Disrupting Expectations’: telling Black Stories on the big screen’.

Hannah Poole interviews film director, Amaa Asante

A packed audience heard how, even for someone said to have ‘made it’, there are still struggles and hurdles to overcome as well as perceptions to demolish for a Black, British, female director.

The session was an inspiring one, due in no small to an enthusiastic and well-informed interviewer and audience, which successfully engaged in getting the director to share her history and impart words of advice, encouragement and inspiration.

The whole event was a family affair and really was a case of ‘something for everyone’, catering as it did for young, old, the curious, the active and those in the mood to just chill.

To give the merest flavour of what was on offer; here are some of the sessions/workshops included over the two days:

• Textile printing workshop
• Concerts by the Chineke! Orchestra { Europe’s first professional majority Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) orchestra – that exclamation mark is intended and appropriate, by the way. Read more about them here
• Writing Workshop: Short story surgery
• People’s Catwalk – a fashion show for non-professionals
• Africa Fashion Week-curated catwalk
• Rebooting Africa; how technology is reshaping culture and society in Africa
• ‘Salt’: theatre-maker Selina Thompson’s retracing of a slave ship’s route
• Back in the day – scanning social – this offered a chance for sharing photos documenting Black British life
• African Yoga and,
• Women, Drumbeats and Self Care: A Twerkshop (to quote: ‘Werk that waist in this combined ‘twerkshop’ and discussion on African Dance’). Oh, to have been there!

See what I said about variety?

The Chineke! Orchestra, as well as performing a well-attended concert on the second day, gave workshops on the workings of an orchestra and its instruments.

A common thread over both days was the number of times I heard someone say “I’ve just seen a friend I hadn’t seen in ages…”, or words to that effect. It is that kind of event. Reason enough to go: the mood throughout was relaxed, friendly and welcoming and chances are, you’ll make new friends as well as link-up with old ones.

Nothing’s perfect of course and I would not want o pretend otherwise, in spite of the ‘universal good vibes’. If there was one major complaint, it has to be in the fact that you had to be a detective to find out where the African food was being sold.

Look out for next year’s event as this one raised the bar and gives the next a lot to live up to.

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