The tradition of storytelling is a deeply rooted practice in Africa. It functions as an instrument to connect us to our roots, to pass down knowledge, and retain culture. It keeps the spirit of someone or something alive by preserving a memory of a place, habits of people. Ibrahim produces healing melodies that tell stories of the ancient ones, of wisdom, pain and joy. His music aids in the quest for self-understanding and identity.
As a Black woman, storytelling enables me to acknowledge the history before me, the history happening in front of me and within myself. Through the medium of film, the blending of oral archives, song, and music come together in one piece. Fragmented narratives of colonialism, apartheid, oppression, liberation, self-understanding, and healing make up this collection of stories, which are produced from found footage, field recordings of digital and analog interviews, documentaries, and songs from Abdullah Ibrahim, Sathima Bea Benjamin and various others.
Softness overcoming hardness enables the freedom of the soft black girl. Her strength is in softness. The act of gathering to listen, reflect and participate in history becomes an act of restorative and spatial justice.
