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GERMAN COLONIAL HERITAGE IN – ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES GERMAN COLONIAL HERITAGE IN AFRICA – ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES CONTENTS

About this report ...... Page 1 Daniel Stoevesandt and Fabian Mühlthaler

German Colonial Heritage in : From a Cultural Production Perspective ...... Page 5 Freddy Sabimbona

The Correlation Between Artistic Productions in and the Discourse on Decolonisation ...... Page 11 Dzekashu MacViban

From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) The Topic of in Cultural Productions in ...... Page 21 Fabian Lehmann This publication is commissioned by the Goethe-Instituts in Sub-Saharan Africa Critical Reflection on Cultural Productions Regarding German Colonialism in and Around ...... Page 35 edited by Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja Edited by Goethe-Institut www.goethe.de/kamerun and Cultural Productions with reference to Colonial History...... Page 47 Goethe-Institut Namibia Ngangare Eric www.goethe.de/namibia cover image German Colonial Heritage in : Maji Maji Flava, © N. Klinger A Survey on Artistic Productions...... Page 53 Vicensia Shule graphic design and layout Turipamwe Design, , Namibia www.turipamwedesign.com Cultural Productions with Reference to German Colonial History in : Overview and Perspective ...... Page 63 printing Kokou Azamede Kerndruck, Germany 1 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 2

ABOUT THIS REPORT DANIEL STOEVESANDT AND FABIAN MÜHLTHALER are directors of Goethe-Instituts BY in Namibia and Cameroon. DANIEL STOEVESANDT Colonialism has caused much pain and injustice, standing for promoting co-productions with actors on the African continent AND the delusion of superiority by one culture over many others since 2012. In addition, the growing social debate since the and unequal power. The fact that Germany also appeared as a German Federal Parliament condemned the Armenian genocide FABIAN MÜHLTHALER formative colonial power in history was forgotten and repressed and the decision to build the Humboldt Forum have contributed for decades. In the crosshairs of the confrontation with their own to the topic coming increasingly into focus. Increasing awareness history were the Holocaust and the partitioning of Germany. In and intensified debate are also clearly reflected through cultural many African countries that experienced German colonial rule, work in Germany. and that would not exist today as states without having lived through that colonial rule, the memory of the German colonial The situation in African countries affected by the German colonial era is strong, and in most cases also painful. How do cultural era varies widely. In the spring of 2018, the Goethe-Institut actors on the African continent deal with this? How do you commissioned seven authors to examine the cultural perspective handle the colonial era? of the German colonial era on the basis of the films, books, plays, performances, etc. produced in the past ten years. The experts Often, it is the means of artistic expression that can sensitise, come from the six African countries that used to be German enlighten, bring to light and stimulate open debate across cultural colonies and were at the centre of the probe: boundaries and different models of thought. Cultural creators have a very special antenna for themes of this kind, and at the Burundi same time use their products to depict the current situation of society in a country. Cameroon

The Goethe- Instituts in Sub-Saharan Africa have been supporting Namibia the cultural confrontation with (German) colonial times in their host countries. Now that local initiatives have been promoted for years, projects have been made possible and debates have been accompanied, it is time to look beyond national borders Tanzania and systematically take stock of the past. In what form does the conflict with the colonial era take place in the various countries? Togo Which artistic formats and forms of discourse dominate? What are the differences between the individual countries?

In Germany, artistic and academic engagement with the German colonial era has intensified considerably in recent years. A Theatre piece Schädel X by Flinnworks significant part of this is likely to be the introduction of the TURN © Alexander Barta Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, which has been 3 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 4 About this report

How the German colonial period was evaluated in the social WHO ARE THE ACTORS? “HOW DO CULTURAL ACTORS ON THE discourse of these countries also depended to a large extent on The initiative to artistically explore the past in African countries what experiences with foreign rule ensued after the withdrawal is mostly based on actors in civil society and the independent AFRICAN CONTINENT DEAL WITH THIS? of the . French, English or Belgian rule – whatever its scene. Only in Germany are there established actors of the political form – has often left its own traces, perhaps more cultural scenes that are involved here, too. This may be the HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE COLONIAL ERA?” strongly shaping the national narrative and superimposing or reason that most productions on our subject are to date very distorting the memory of German colonial rule. small, limited to the location of their origin and therefore of little range. All experts we commissioned initially reported difficulties In Cameroon and Togo, the subsequent time of French mandate in finding material on this topic. Comparable studies do not is perceived among the general public as more formative – and exist; the knowledge about books, films, plays, etc. during the probably more painful as well. Cameroon, with its complex ethnic German colonial era had to be collected piece by piece through structure, has probably become a nation only through German painstaking research and personal interviews with actors in the From a comparative perspective – without claiming to be colonial rule and it’s quite arbitrary demarcation; a somewhat cultural scene. exhaustive – Germany was also included in the study. transfigured view of large parts of the population on German colonial rule up to nostalgia may thus be explainable, which Larger cultural productions dealing with the relevant topic here Our aim was not only to better understand which on-site subjects nonetheless, of course challenges cultural practitioners to raise are mostly financed by German means, which in most cases are are considered particularly important in this broad field; which awareness and debate. collaborations with the local Goethe-Instituts or projects that actors initiate, implement and finance these productions; and were made possible in the recent years by the TURN Fund of the where such an examination of German colonial history occurs Today, in Rwanda and Burundi, the German colonial era is barely German Federal Cultural Foundation. – but also, in particular, what fundamentally distinguishes the visible. 20th-century Belgian rule and the genocide of the 1990s discourse in the different countries; which influence the colonial override any discourse; the German reign is shown only through period has on the respective national feeling; in which form some buildings or industrial monuments. WHAT‘S NEXT? identities were shaped; and what place the colonial period holds The present study shows us how different cultural workers in the collective memory. Namibia certainly takes a special position, not only since at the in seven countries deal with a formative part of history. We time countless families were directly and personally affected understand a little better what effects former colonial rule For the Goethe-Institut, this first systematic examination of from the genocide, but also because the country – in contrast has on contemporary societies and which cultural scene actors artistic positions on the subject of German colonial past is also a to the other former colonies – was settled by German civilians are dealing with this topic in the first place. With the aim basis for its future commitment to this topic. whose descendants to this day are a significant ethnic group of developing new and more comprehensive African artistic that exert great economic influence. The German redistribution positions, the Goethe-Institut in Sub-Saharan Africa will for Without prejudging the experts, the first fundamental results can of land and the decimation of two other groups of people in the first time bring together the various actors and forms of be stated: particular still characterize today’s Namibia. Therefore, it may discourse, and help to redevelop and realize not only local but come as a surprise that a broader debate about this period only international artistic positions as well. With this project, the started in the last decade. However, the overarching and much Goethe-Institut wants to make a contribution to sensitizing VERY DIFFERENT, BROAD APPROACH more important political event for Namibia is still South Africa’s people in dealing with Germany’s colonial past and how to In principle, the German colonial era is received in very different struggle for freedom. emphasize the relevance of the subject in the 21st century via ways in the various countries affected by it. This is closely free artistic expression. connected with how intense the interference of the German colonial power in the territories were at that time, which traces ART IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND PUBLIC LIFE Our thanks go to the seven authors who, with their studies, have were left behind, and what significance the German colonial Another important factor is the different role of art and culture laid the foundation for dealing with this topic in the future across period had on the subsequent founding of nations. Particularly in social discourse and public life, varying from country to national borders and from an African perspective. painful are the memories of the German colonial era in Namibia country. This is not only closely linked to the general framework and Tanzania, where the genocide of Nama and Herero as well conditions of artistic work – such as the availability of space, as the Maji Maji War claimed thousands of lives that are still funds from state or private hands – but also with social freedom. mourned to this day. The influence of the state, its control as well as socially or religiously shaped norms and the boundaries they thereby set are decisive factors that significantly influence an artistic examination of the German colonial era or questions about colonial rule. The Resonance © Iwalewahaus, University of Bayreuth All these factors show massive differences between the countries studied. 5 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives

FREDDY SABIMBONA is an actor, director, producer – as well as the founding Director of the satirical comedy group Troupe Lampyre – was born in Washington DC in 1982, Freddy studied at the Lumière University Faculty of Law before turning to a career in the performing arts. He started directing in 2007 with a play entitled “Le retour GERMAN COLONIAL d’un jeune homme responsable qui s’abstient” de Patrice Faye after working for five years as an actor in , Burundi. Since founding Troupe Lampyre, he has participated in numerous international festivals and various programs focused HERITAGE IN on resolving ethnic conflict, including travels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, L’Ile de La Réunion and , Germany, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso. In July 2011, he directed Mr. President, a play which talks about politics in Burundi BURUNDI: from 1988 until 1993.

FROM A CULTURAL INTRODUCTION rather than pointing fingers at the problems our country PRODUCTION PERSPECTIVE Burundi is a country located in the Great Lakes region of East is facing. Africa and is surrounded by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the West, Rwanda in the North and Tanzania in the East. For that to happen, we must speak a common language, a language through which we all find ourselves to know . Its colonial history with Germany dates back to the first The mistake was to focus only on Bujumbura as the country’s BY FREDDY missionaries, who settled there in the 19th century (1896) capital, while Burundi has 17 provinces. before it lost all its colonies after its defeat in SABIMBONA (1918). inherited its new colony commonly called As artists and for our work to bear lasting fruits, we must Ruanda Urundi at the time. Germany officially occupied Burundi produce pieces that talk about the daily life of Burundians. following the treaty of Kiganda, where King Mwezi Gisabo signed his surrender. Music has a real impact within the Burundian population because most singers sing in Kirundi, the national language of Burundi. We must produce more works in Kirundi to touch more people - BURUNDIAN IDENTITY the majority of whom are up-country (outside Bujumbura). Our national identity is a subject that keeps coming back in most Burundian artistic works whether in music, theatre or literature. Indeed, Burundi is composed of three ethnic groups namely Hutu, ARTISTIC CREATION IN BURUNDI Tutsi and Twa. In spite of the difficulties artists face to make a living, their creations are rather abundant in Burundi. For some years, we The first two following political manipulations that began have held festivals that have increased the visibility of artists to especially under the Belgian colonization (divide and rule) have the public and opened horizons between neighbouring countries. since struggled to consider themselves primarily as Burundians Events such as the Festival of Cinema in Burundi (Festicab), the and have been tearing each other apart for decades. theatre festival “Buja without taboo”, the Michel Kayoya literary prize, the Gospel festival “Pamoja” and many more have exposed We dream and imagine of being one again, just like a local artists internationally. Often perceived as for the country’s loving couple that was separated for years and wish to be cultural elite, these festivals are concentrated in the capital city, together again. Bujumbura.

The difficulty is that every Burundian tends to have a selective All these festivals are recent and less than 10-years-old, but memory of their country’s history according to what happened what makes them more interesting is that they contribute to the to each. emergence of new talents.

Kampala International Theatre Festival Burundian artists should change their message and focus on © Daniel Gilbert Bwette finding words that could reconcile Burundians to their history, 7 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 8 German Colonial Heritage in Burundi: From a Cultural Production Perspective

PRODUCTIONS, PUBLIC AND MEDIA Indeed, King Mwezi Gisabo who reigned from 1850 to 1908, “...AS ARTISTS WE MUST PRODUCE PIECES THAT SPEAK The Burundian cultural scene is rich in many ways and produces opposed a fierce resistance to German colonization for more many shows in terms of traditional dances, plays, films and than seven years. He was forced at one point to flee his royal ABOUT THE DAILY LIFE OF BURUNDIANS SO OUR WORK exhibitions. palace, fearing his life, and was hidden by the drummers in Gishora in northern Burundi. CAN BEAR LASTING FRUIT.” One of the biggest challenges is having spaces to express ourselves because there are none strictly for the production and The King thanked the drummers by giving them two cows, distribution of Burundian shows, except the French Institute of “Ruciteme and Murimirwa”. The drummers took the skins of the Burundi that’s task is to spread the French language throughout cows and made two drums, which they named after the cows. the country. The drums could later be played only during royal festivals, like the festival of umuganuro. On the other hand, we are witnessing an awakening of Burundian artists’ independence, which enables them to take of themselves An important pact was established between the monarchy and not depend on anyone else. and the drummers. There is a dance step famous Burundian drummers do as a reminder: they pass the finger to cut their To overcome the worries of the rooms, the third edition of the throats as a reminder of this pact, which means that at the risk “Buja without taboo” festival took place, for example, in popular of their lives, they will never deliver King Mwezi Gisabo. bars of Bujumbura which brought the artistic works to the public instead of having the public go to the theatre as the elitist Subsequently, the very place where they hid the King in Gishora generally do. is currently not only an important creation site for the drummers of Burundi but also for tourism. The drums, Ruciteme and It is with the same perspective that artists decided to gradually Mwirimirwa, are still exposed at the Gishora site. move into neighbourhoods for them to share their works with the inhabitants. Their quest is themed on debates specific to Its heritage is also reflected in the architecture of some buildings, shows between the public and artists. including the so-called Bauhaus style that can be found in the capital of Bujumbura and Gitega. The idea is to break the codes, go to the people and not have them wait for invitations so that in the end, as the public goes It is also said that Tanzanian music was introduced to Burundi to church on Sundays, they also have the option to attend the under the German occupation. The slaves who transported the Les années avalanches by Juvénal (In) Dépendance is a collection of novels, slam The documentary film Burundi 1850 - 1962, theatre on weekends. colonisers’ luggage came from Tanzania. The Germans in the Ngorwenubusa, which focuses on ethnicity poetry and theatre performances, which details the German and Belgian colonisation region of the great lakes settled first in Burundi in a popular and politics in Burundi. focuses on the 50th independence of Burundi. of Burundi. The media in Burundi is doing well and present to relay neighbourhood of Bujumbura called “Buyenzi”; a neighbourhood information in the news, on the radio, and on social media as that has strong Tanzanian influences such as the Swahili well. We are fortunate to have journalists who are passionate language. about their profession and produce blog articles to report on the artistic activities taking place. CONCLUSION It might be wise that in the same way that art in Burundi is The study of artistic works that speak of colonisation, German growing, journalists can also be as skilled in the art of criticism decolonisation or its heritage has enlightened me on several by precisely knowing how to criticize a play, a film, a song questions such as what does it mean to be Burundian? What are etcetera. our roots? Our values? Who are we? Where do we come from? As Burundians, do we all share the same story?

THE GERMAN HERITAGE IN BURUNDI These are questions that I find relevant and that challenge me One of the first major signs to evaluate the German colonial about the role of the artist. As an actor and director, I want to heritage in Burundi is unequivocally reflected in one of its rediscover the history of my country and share it with a large greatest cultural manifestations specific to Burundian culture: audience, not to impose my point of view but to talk to the public the drum. and see if we have the same benchmarks so that we can perhaps La bataille de Ndago, 2012, painting by Clovis Ngoy. The scene depicts Ezechiel Ndayizeye performing his slam poetry get together and be able to build together again ... all together. the battle and subsequent defeat of the King of Burundi, Mwezi Gisabo, piece titled Revolution. against the Germans. 9 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 10 German Colonial Heritage in Burundi: From a Cultural Production Perspective

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, BURUNDI

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

(in)Dependance Collection of poetry 2012 Bujumbura / Musée vivant de Bujumbura Sembura Ferment littéraire What does independence mean for a http://samandari-litterature.blogspot.com/2011/04/ Novels Burundian in a world that has become a umuriro-wa-gihanga-declaration-du.html Theatre production “global village”, in which communities are in constant interdependence, thanks to the http://www.arib.info/index.php?option=com_ prowess of technology? content&task=view&id=5405

Burundi 1850–1962 Documentary film 2010 Burundi Ngabo Léonce et before colonisation Nicolas de Borman until to the independance

Dechirement Theatre June 2010 Institut français du Burundi Freddy Sabimbona Histoty of Burundi until the colonization Compagnie: Troupe Lampyre Date of birth: 14/09/1982 Colonial and Belgium Actor and director History of the independence of Burundi and the consequences in a long term process.

La bataille de Ndago Painting May 2012 Burundi / Bujumbura, ifb Clovis Ngoy Mwezi Gisabo’s resistance against Date of birth: 28/08/1990 German settlers

Le Rêve du Rêve Novella 2009 Institut français du Burundi Talks about a young man living in dual world: one in his real life, and another one in a dream.

Les années avalanche Novel September 2015 Belgium / Brussels, Editions des Archives Juvénal Ngorwanubusa Hutu-Tutsi ethnic division in Burundi, https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a9015395/ et Musée de la Littératue Year of birth: 1953 plea for wanting to live together Jubenal-Ngorwanubusa-Les-annees-avalanche

La littérature de Essay and anthology July 2012 and 2013 Belgium / Bruxelles, Editions Monde Juvénal Ngorwanubusa French in Burundi, literary genre https://www.decitre.fr/livres/la-litterature-de- langue française est-ouest (MEO) et Archives et Musée Year of birth: 1953 langue-francaise-au-burundi-9782871680703.html au Burundi de la littérature 2014

Revolution Slam poetry 2011 Bujumbura / Institut français du Burundi Ndayizeye Ezéchiel Colonization in Africa and its impact, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NcoNO73be8 Respect A L’afrique Compagnie: neocolonialism, economic slavery Ces Enfant D’afrique Generation Slam Burundi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pRXpNCfJKU Date of Birth: 18/09/1984 11 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives

DZEKASHU MACVIBAN is a writer, journalist and editor based in Yaounde. In 2011, he THE CORRELATION published a collection of poems titled Scions of the Malcontent and founded Bakwa Magazine. His writing and research focuses on BETWEEN ARTISTIC the intersection between art and technology. His work has been translated into Japanese, PRODUCTIONS IN Spanish, French and German. CAMEROON AND

THE DISCOURSE ON INTRODUCTION Ngam Confidence Chia4 points out both Germanophile and There is no single Cameroonian history – with six different maps Germanophobia in post-German Cameroon, and observes that between 1911–1972, multiple narratives, and fluid notions about the Germanophile sentiment survived the latter. While she DECOLONISATION who national heroes are, dichotomies become inherent on almost mentions a number of reasons responsible for this, Léonard I. every discourse related to Cameroon. By looking at artistic Sah5 and Harry R. Rudin6 point out the important role played with productions which focus on (mostly) Germany’s colonial past in German propaganda under the Deutscher Kolonial Dienst in the Cameroon, as well as how these are related to broader questions growth of Germanophile sentiment in Cameroon. Today, many about decolonisation and nationalism, this research attempts Cameroonians still look back at the German era with nostalgia. BY DZEKASHU to understand the correlation between artistic productions in Cameroon and the discourse on decolonisation. East Cameroon gained its independence from France on 1 January MACVIBAN 1960, while West Cameroon, administered under British mandate The “birth” of Cameroon in the 19th century is inescapable when and governed jointly with Eastern , became independent pinpointing the evolution of the country. Faced with increasing on 1 October 1961 in a UN-sponsored plebiscite, which joined French interest, German traders decided to appeal to their the latter to the former in a two-state federation. This historicity government to annex Cameroon; however, , is inextricably linked to the discourse on decolonisation in that the German chancellor, was not initially interested in colonies. it shows the circumstances around which notions of identity in After much pressure from German traders, coupled with were shaped over the years. and French manoeuvres in North Africa, Bismarck decided in 1883 to negotiate treaties with the chiefs of .1 COLONIZATION, NEO-COLONISATION Adalbert Owona establishes the birth of Cameroon, when he says AND IDENTITY “Cameroon, as it is known today, that is, as a territorial, human A comparative analysis of the catalogued cultural productions, and political entity with well-defined contours and frontiers did as well as interviews with selected artists, reveal the following not exist before 1894” 2. The usage of the word “Kamerun” for observations: the whole territory is the result of a German decree of January 1, 1901. Despite an overall tendency to glorify the German past in the public sphere in Cameroon, cultural productions – from cinema In , after the defeat of Germany in Cameroon, Britain to performance art – are much more distant and philosophical, and France signed the treaty of London partitioning the country and approach the past in a way that is more explorative of its amongst themselves.3 This transition, coupled with the different complexity, rather than recriminatory or nostalgic. This is the cultures and systems that came with it, added a layer of case with productions such as “Our Wishes”, “Tenacity”, and “Fin Fin de Mission / ohne Auftrag leben complexity to Cameroon’s already complex matrix. de Mission. The former is a TV show directed by Jean-Pierre © Bisse Essomba Bekolo, set in the 19th century and relaying the circumstances 13 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 14 The Correlation Between Artistic Productions in Cameroon and the Discourse on Decolonisation

“BEYOND THE COLONIAL HISTORY THAT WE GET FROM ARCHIVES AND OTHERS, WE SHOULD ALSO CREATE A NEW IDENTITY FOR OURSELVES, AND NOT RELY ON THIS INHERITED IDENTITY.”

around the signing of the Germano-Douala Treaty. The latter, were massacred during this period.10 this further by using ‘shit’ as a metaphor.17 Multi-disciplinary This explains the choice of public space as a recurrent ‘notion’ in directed by Musing Derrick, examines Cameroon through two productions such as “Les Sequelles de la colonisation” and the decolonisation process in Cameroon. fictional families, across multiple timelines from the 16th to the Furthermore, an important issue which dominates second “Demythologize that History and Put it to Rest” are much more 20th century, showing how manipulation and self-interest led generation Cameroonian literature in English is what Makuchi abstract and philosophical, as they interrogate Cameroon’s Luc Moutila Beni points out that urban planning in Cameroon to conflict. Other popular topics addressed in the catalogued Nfah-Abbenyi refers to as the “postcolonial malaise of a union colonial past and present in an attempt to decolonise the mind. dates back to the German colonial period between 1884 and productions in Cameroon range from decolonisation in a much that for some never was and therefore in need of dissolution; a 1916, “with the creation of the very first colonial towns – notably broader sense, the nebulous nature of Cameroon’s past, the union that for others is fragile, diseased, in dire need of healing Douala, Buea, Yaounde, Edea, Ebolowa, and Lolodorf.” 21 This failure of the post-independent state and disillusionment, among and reconciliation. Anglophone Cameroon literature is as such DECOLONISATION IN ART raises questions about the decolonisation of public space and others. obsessed with what is known as the ‘’”11 urban spaces in Cameroon, as part of the decolonisation process. This breaks away from first generation Cameroonian literature, A comparative analysis of 30 Cameroonian artistic productions So far, out of the catalogued artistic productions which focus on which mostly explored colonialism. According to Piet Konings and which feature Germany’s colonial past, reveal the following Public space in Cameroon is one of the areas where German colonial past in Cameroon, an important part have been Francis B. Nyamnjoh the root of the ‘Anglophone Problem’ can be approaches to decolonisation: the decolonisation of public space decolonisation comes to the forefront of everyday life. Names organised in partnership with a German institution or German “traced back to 1961, when the political elites of two territories and conversations around the colonial past. These approaches of streets and statues reference Cameroon’s colonial past, thus, individual, and most of them are funded by Goethe-Institutes, with different colonial legacies – one French and the other inherently form the way artists contribute to the discourse on confrontation is almost inevitable. Nevertheless, while it may be the TURN Fund for Artistic Cooperation between Germany British – agreed on the formation of a federal state. Contrary national identity in relation to the colonial past. easy to observe this, the way it is dealt with is more complex and African Countries, among others. The amount of cultural to expectations, this did not provide for the equal partnership than it appears. Jacey Fortin notes this complexity in opposing productions in the past ten years which reference the German of both parties, let alone for the preservation of the cultural But before getting to these, we need to ponder what positions in the debate around monuments, when she questions colonial past in Cameroon surpass those which mention other heritage and identity of each…”12 This, as well, is a very sensitive decolonisation is, as well as consider its limits. If we approach “whether the statues should fall because they commemorate those former colonial powers. topic in Cameroon, especially given the current insurgency with decolonisation as the undoing of colonisation, we should also who fought to uphold slavery, or stand because they remind us ever-evolving movements and ideologies. consider Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s words in Decolonising the Mind, of a history that cannot be erased.”22 This is closely linked to a major issue faced by Cameroon, which where he says “The choice of language and the use to which is the lack of cultural infrastructures, leading artists to seek funds Ethnicity and nationalism are important concepts that shed light language is put is central to a people’s definition of themselves Andre Blaise Essama, an activist and artist is a major figure with and partnerships elsewhere. Furthermore, the national museum, on the way post-independence Cameroonians interact with each in relation to their natural and social environment, indeed in regards to the decolonisation of public space. Recently, after which is supposed to be symbolic of Cameroonian history, other, and relate to the past. While Thomas Hylland Eriksen relation to the entire universe.”18 The fact that we are having elders from the Bell chiefdom destroyed a site intended for a exemplifies the double standards that exist with regards to the says nationalism “can be aggressive and expansionist – within conversations around decolonisation in English says a lot. While statue in memory of Reuben Um Nyobe (leader who fought official narrative on Cameroon’s past. and outside state boundaries; and it can serve as a truly peace- talking about the proletariat, Horace Campbell distinguishes for the independence from French colonial rule), Andre Blaise keeping and culturally integrating force in a nation-state or a between Marxism and Black Marxism when he says “whereas Essama went to the site in question and stood in lieu of the The most prominent genres in which Germany, Britain and region.”13, Francis B. Nyamnjoh argues that Cameroon is a country Marxism focuses heavily on the activism of a vanguard statue of Reuben Um Nyobe, wearing a garment with Um Nyobe’s France’s colonial past in Cameroon have been addressed are united by ethnic ambition and difference.14 A major way in which proletariat, black freedom struggles have revolved around face and name on it. Last year, in December 2017, Essama performance art, cinema and literature. Nevertheless, this questions relating to colonisation, nationalism, and the nation a collective, albeit contested identity shaped by racism. In destroyed an installation by French visual artist Sylvie Blocher remains a sensitive topic, especially what is referred to as are approached in artistic production in Cameroon – especially reaction, black Marxist thinkers have argued for a position that titled “Bien que je n’en aie pas le droit, je vous présente mes France’s “dirty war”7 in Cameroon. A recent book titled Kamerun! literature – is through the use of metaphor. Achille Mbembe emphasises ‘materialism over idealism’ and acknowledges the excuses” (“Although I do not have the right, I apologize”)23 which Une guerre cachée aux origines de la Françafrique (1948 - 1971) by says, “There is the question of the grotesque and the obscene centrality of race in the black experience”19 was set up within the framework of the Salon Urbain de Douala. Manuel Domergue, Jacob Tatsitsa, and Thomas Deltombe sheds being used as means of erecting, ratifying or deconstructing Before all that, he was prevented from erecting a statue of John some light on this. Between 1957 and 1960, France supressed particular regimes of violence and domination.”15 He further Ngu Foncha, a former president of federal Cameroon, and has the Union of the Populations of Cameroon (an independence goes on to show how in Togo and Cameroon, “people developed THE DECOLONISATION OF PUBLIC SPACE been arrested several times for defacing colonial statues.24 These movement founded in April 1948), in what many refer to as a ways of separating words or phrases off from their conventional Is public space a philosophical or judiciary notion, or both? Neil episodes already hint at the complicated relationship Cameroon “secret war”8 or “dirty war”. Most of the fighting, and the ensuing meanings and using them in quite another sense.”16 Inter-textual Smith and Setha Low point out that “connections between public has with its history, as can be seen in the following observations: atrocities committed in the name of “decolonisation” unfolded metaphors such as ‘Baba Toura’ and ‘Ewawa’ populate Cameroon space and political and cultural economy deserve closer scrutiny in Cameroon, there is the destruction of statues that honour in Bassa and Bamilike villages in the region’s plantation belt.9 literature, as writers fictionalise reality, creating recognisable because public spaces are simultaneously an expression of social colonial figures, as well as the destruction of statues that honour According to Kamerun!, about 300,000 or 400,000 Bamilikes metaphors that represent people and places. Bate Besong takes power and a force themselves that help shape social relations.”20 national heroes. “J’ai détruit cette performance artistique avec 15 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 16 The Correlation Between Artistic Productions in Cameroon and the Discourse on Decolonisation

“BEYOND THE COLONIAL HISTORY THAT WE GET FROM END NOTES 1. Ngoh, Victor Julius. The Political Evolution of Cameroon, 15. Mbembe, Achille (1992). “Provisional Notes on the ARCHIVES AND OTHERS, WE SHOULD ALSO CREATE 1884–1961 (1979). Dissertation. Postcolony.” Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, vol. 62, no. 1 (1992), pp. 3–37. A NEW IDENTITY FOR OURSELVES, AND NOT RELY ON 2. Owona, Adalbert. “La naissance du Cameroun (1884–1914) (1973).” Cahiers d’Études africaines, No 49, pp. 16–36. 16. Ambe, Hilarious N (2004). “Shit and Stench as Dramatic THIS INHERITED IDENTITY.” Strategy: Bate Besong’s Beasts of no Nation,” The Literary 3. Ngoh, Victor Julius. The Political Evolution of Cameroon, Criterion, pp. 185–197. 1884–1961 (1979). Dissertation. 17. Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1986). Decolonising the Mind: The Politics 4. Chia, Ngam Confidence. “The Workings of the Germanophilia of Language in African Literature. London: James Currey. le soutien des chefs traditionnels et des populations de Douala Hangar – Centro de Investigação Artística and the Gabinete de and Germanophobia Concepts in Post German Cameroon.” qui n’en veulent pas. C’était une manipulation, une escroquerie. Estudos Olissiponenses), as well as Snake’s “Les séquelles de la Afro Asian Journal of Social Sciences, vol. VIII, No I, Quarter I, 18. Campbell, Horace G. and C. L. R. James (1995). “Walter C’était une œuvre d’auto-glorification” (“I destroyed this artistic colonisation” and “Transfrontalier” are important productions. 2017, pp. 2–6. Rodney, and the Caribbean Intellectual,” In C. L. R. James: performance with the support of traditional chiefs and the These are research-based performances enacted in public places His Intellectual Legacies, ed. Selwyn R. Cudjoe and William 5. Sah, Léonard I. “Activités allemandes et germanophilie au people of Douala who do not want it. It was a manipulation, a from Yaounde to Berlin (mostly on the street) because of the E. Cain, pp. 405–431. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Cameroun (1936–1939) (1982),” Outre-Mers. Revue d’histoire, scam. It was a work of self-glorification”), Essama told a journalist participatory nature of their concepts. Both performances are Press. from de l’Agence France Presse regarding his actions.25 Another heavily laden with allusions to slavery, colonisation, religion, No 255, pp. 129–144. 19. Neil Smith and Setha Low (2005). “The Imperative of Public key person with regards to the decolonisation of public space and metaphysics. Their performances, which seek to explore the 6. Rudin, Harry R. (1938). Germans in the , 1884– Space.” The Politics of Public Space, eds Setha Low and Neil in Cameroon is Mboua Massock, who was arrested for the relationship between the past, the present and future, aim at I914: A Case Study in Modern Imperialism. New Haven: Yale Smith. Routledge. destruction of a monument dedicated to Général Leclerc in creating awareness on the consequences of colonisation, as well University Press. 26 Bonajo, Douala. as the challenges of decolonisation. 20. Beni, Luc Moutila. Planification Urbaine au Cameroun: Nature, 7. Tande, Dibussi. “France’s Dirty War in Cameroon (VI): The Origine et Defis. https://moutilageo.hypotheses.org/17 French Expeditionary Force,” Scribbles from the Den, 29 CONVERSATIONS ON CAMEROON’S CONCLUSION November, 2006, http://www.dibussi.com/2006/11/frances_ 21. Fortin, Jacey. “Toppling Monuments, a Visual History” The COLONIAL PAST Conversations about decolonisation in the public sphere are not dirty_w_3.htm New York Times, 17 August, 2017, https://www.nytimes. com/2017/08/17/world/controversial-statues-monuments- Most of the cultural productions in question aim at fostering unrelated to the on-going approach in art, which in turn informs 8. Deltombe, Thomas. “The Forgotten Cameroon War,” Jacobin, destroyed.html conversations around German colonial past as well as the wider discourse on nationalism in Cameroon. Navigating 12 October, 2016, https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/12/ contributing to conversations on national identity. These Cameroon’s nebulous history – albeit complex – is crucial towards cameroon-france-colonialism-war-resistance/ 22. “Cameroun : l’œuvre d’une artiste française demandant productions, like Jean Pierre Bekolo’s Our Wishes, a TV show understanding these notions, as well as the role played by public pardon pour la colonisation a été détruite”, Observateurs 9. Wakai, Kangsen Feka. “#WhiteHistoryMonth: Dr. Pierre that recreates the Germano-Douala treaty of 1884, and Musing space in the decolonisation process. Beyond the relevance of the France 24, 8 December 2017, http://observers.france24.com/ Messmer, France’s Dirty War General,” Africa is a Country, 3 Derrick’s Tenacity, a movie set in pre-colonial Cameroon, as interconnectedness of notions such as public space, Cameroon’s fr/20171208-cameroun-art-francaise-colonisation-pardon- June 2015, https://africasacountry.com/2015/03/the-general- well as multi-disciplinary performances seek to create public colonial past and nationalism, their contribution to the decolonial detruite who-was-in-charge-of-frances-dirty-war-in-cameroon awareness which can lead to conversations about the past, process cannot be ignored. By placing public places at the centre 23. “La Police empêche l’activiste André Essama de placer present and future. Bekolo says in an interview “Our Wishes, of performances, artists like Etongo and Snake invite audiences 10. Deltombe, Thomas et al. Kamerun! Une guerre cachée la statue de John Ngu Foncha, ancien vice-président du is therefore a form of reinvention. Beyond the colonial history to be part of the interpretation of their work, which reflects the aux origines de la Françafrique (1948 - 1971). Editions La Cameroun” Le Bled Parle, 28 December 2016, https://www. that we get from archives and others, we should also create open-ended approach adopted by film makers such as Jean- Découverte, Paris, 2011. lebledparle.com/societe/1101896-la-police-empeche-l- a new identity for ourselves, and not rely on this inherited Pierre Bekolo and Musing Derrick. Nevertheless, the role of public 11. Nfah-Abbenyi, Juliana Makuchi. “Anglophone Cameroon activiste-andre-essama-de-placer-la-statue-de-john-ngu- identity. There the idea of bringing back history in the public spaces and audiences is hardly exclusive to Cameroon, especially Poetry”, Free Verse Journal, 13 Nov 2013. http://english. foncha-ancien-vice-president-du-cameroun place, of creating a dialogue that can only enrich us, lead us to when one considers the ripple effect of movements like Rhodes chass.ncsu.edu/freeverse/Archives/Spring_2012/prose/ good decisions.” 27 This quote highlights the open-end nature Must Fall in South Africa, and its contribution to decolonial 24. “ ‘Œuvre d’auto-glorification’: l’installation d’une artiste CameroonPoetry_JulianaMakuchiNfahAbbenhi.htm of approaches to decolonisation which present situations, both discourse. française au Cameroun détruite,” RT France, 9 December historical as well as fictionalised, without passing judgment or 12. Konings, Piet, and Francis B. Nyamnjoh (1997). “The 2017, https://francais.rt.com/international/46367-oeuvre- taking sides, and pose more questions than provide answers. Anglophone Problem in Cameroon.” The Journal of Modern dauto-glorification-installation-artiste-francaise-cameroun- African Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 207–229. destruction-colonisation Two performance artists whose work can be situated at the 13. Eriksen, Thomas Hylland. “Ethnicity versus Nationalism.” 25. Malaquais, Dominique, “Monumental Failures,” Chimurenga intersection of the discourse on the decolonisation of public Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Aug., 1991), pp. Chronic, 19 July 2016, https://chimurengachronic.co.za/ space and conversations around Cameroon’s colonial past are 263–278. monumental-failures/ Christian Etongo and Raoul Zobel Tejeutsa of la compagnie Zora Snake. Etongo’s “After Tears” and his performance within the 14. Nyamnjoh, Francis B. “Cameroon: a country united by ethnic 26. Liatou, Merinos, “Our Wishes: A look on colonial Africa” framework of “Demythologize that History and Put It to Rest” (an ambition and difference.” African Affairs, 1999, 98, pp. 101– Goethe-Institut Kamerun, https://www.goethe.de/ins/cm/en/ art project by Marcio Carvalho in collaboration with the art space 118. kul/sup/ffa/21010975.html SAVVY Contemporary and its archive project Colonial Neighbours, 17 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 18 The Correlation Between Artistic Productions in Cameroon and the Discourse on Decolonisation

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, CAMEROON

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Crossing Boundaries Multidisciplinary Germany, Cameroon Astrid S. Klein Colonial histories, memory, http://crossing-boundaries-of-doubt.net/ of Doubt

Fin de Machine Theatre performance Germany, Cameroon Fabian Lettow / Mirjam History, slavery Schmuck & Martin Ambara

Fin de Mission Theatre performance Germany, Cameroon Fabian Lettow / Mirjam Slave trade, colonialism Schmuck & Martin Ambara

Our Wishes Cinema Cameroon Jean Pierre Bekolo History, colonisation

Tenacity Cinema Cameroon Musing Derick History, colonisation

Zintgraff and the Cinema Cameroon Musing Derick, Bole Butake History, colonisation Battle of Mankon

Boundless Literature Cameroon Kefen Budji Love, conflict, colonialism

Les Sequelles de la Theatre performance France/Germany Zora Snake Religion, colonisation colonisation

Footprints of Destiny Literature Cameroon Azanwi Nchami

La Resistance des Literature Cameroon Malimba a la traite negriere et la colonisation Demythologize That Performance Germany, Marcio Carvalho, Lynhan Colonial histories, memory History and Put it Balatbat-Helbock etc to Rest / Colonial neighbours Camerun and Exhibition Germany Andreas Lang etc Congo: In Search of traces and phanton Geography 19 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 20 The Correlation Between Artistic Productions in Cameroon and the Discourse on Decolonisation

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, CAMEROON CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

December Rain Short Story (Literature) Germany Elsa Mbala https://bakwamagazine.com/2016/01/25/fiction- (published in december-rain-by-elsa-mbala/ Winter Shorts. eds Clementine Burnley & Sharon Dodua Otoo)

Giving Contours to Multidisciplinary Germany Bonaventure Ndikung etc Shadows

Recent Histories: Multidisciplinary Germany, USA https://independent-collectors.com/collections/the- Contemporary African walther-collection-recent-histories/ Photography and Video Art Zintgraff and the Literature Cameroon Bolo Butake Battle of Mankon

Mount Pleasant Literature France Patrice Nganang

Africa Conference Multidisciplinary Germany http://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/cms/en/ programme/Afrika/archiv/africa_conference.html

The Meddling Age Painting Nzante Spee

ca-me-dit martyr Multimedia installation Herve Youmbi / Ruth belinga (Curator)

Afrik Politik Music Lady B Colonialism, neocolonialism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6HEEiAz9OY

The New World Multidisciplinary USA Barthélémy Toguo https://emuseum.nasher.duke.edu/objects/20142/ Climax - Colonisation the-new-world-climax--colonisation-imperialism;jse Imperialism ssionid=2E412C422B9DAC221E07E4ED78B67B3F;jse ssionid=2E412C422B9DAC221E07E4ED78B67B3F?ct x=7d904c4e-0206-4ff7-bd31-902fc9563c84&idx=30

Footnotes / audio Multidisciplinary Germany, Cameroon Zora Snake/Michael (Post-) colonial traces https://dieflanerie.com/fussnoten-audio-walk-2016/ Walk

Njoya the Reformer Literature Denys Ferrando-Durfort Colonial histories, memory

Once upon a time, Literature Colonial histories, memory Ahidjo 21 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 22

FABIAN LEHMANN is a PhD student at the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS). His research is on contemporary visual art that addresses the remembrance of the German colonial period in Namibia. Before starting his PhD, Lehmann was a research associate at Iwalewahaus in Bayreuth.

SOME INTRODUCTORY WORDS that are not single cultural productions and that speak about the When it comes to the attention colonial history receives in the contexts the cultural productions have been presented within. cultural field, the situation in Germany differs from that in most of the African countries with whom Germany shares a colonial history. The body of cultural productions that make colonial THE WHEN AND WHERE OF COLONIALISM history a topic is unmanageable, due to the size, complexity and AS A TOPIC IN GERMANY diversity of the German cultural scene. To list an actual number The research focuses on cultural productions in Germany within the of productions related to the topic of colonialism developed by last ten years. For this reason, it has to be stressed that an important visual artists, writers, performers, photographers, film makers, year for the commemorative culture in Germany lies before that theatre directors or curators within the last ten years is therefore period. In 2004, the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the impossible, and it would be presumptuous to claim one knows in Namibia (1904–1908) – or German South them all. The following compilation presenting 42 cultural at the time – allowed for first important moments of recognition. FROM PERIPHERY productions can therefore only be a subjective sample of works Thanks to initiatives like the famous speech by federal development instead of a complete survey. Nonetheless, it will allow for an minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul in August 2004 in Namibia overview of the topic. or the historical exhibition “Namibia – Deutschland: eine geteilte TO FOCUS (AND BACK AGAIN?) - Geschichte” (Namibia – Germany: A shared history) at Rautenstrauch- I tried to make the sample as broad and diverse as possible, Joest-Museum für Völkerkunde in Cologne, the year brought a rise including various artistic formats like film, photography, video in the awareness of the then still widely unknown history of German installation, painting, performance, stage play, spoken word, colonialism. Nevertheless, these singular events in the sphere of dance, music recording, novel, essay or comic. However, during politics and historiography should not obscure the fact that it was not THE TOPIC OF COLONIALISM IN the research it became obvious that some genres are more yet the time for the plurality of artistic interventions one finds within CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS IN GERMANY difficult to grasp than others. The ephemeral character of the last three years. spoken word performances or interventions in public space makes it more difficult in retrospect to understand the work One of the few cultural productions already published in 2004 properly and obtain the information needed to integrate it into was Jean-Marie Téno’s documentary Das koloniale Missverständnis the compilation. Additionally, because of my own research (The Colonial Misunderstanding), making the interconnection of the background in visual arts, I am biased in the way that I am much Rhenish Mission and colonialism in Namibia a topic. The first visual more familiar with graphics, paintings, film and photography art exhibition at a prestigious German institution followed only a BY FABIAN LEHMANN than with theatre or dance. Nonetheless, I have tried to create few months later with William Kentridge’s Black Box/Chambre Noire a balanced selection that is not limited to works that gained the that opened in October 2005 at the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. most attention in the media or allocated the greatest interest There are more artistic works released before the focus period of from the audience but which address the topic of German that research that could be named here. For practical reasons, I will colonialism substantially. only mention Uwe Timm’s famous novel Morenga from 1978. To date, Them and Us the book has been printed in more than ten editions. It uses historic © Jochen Roller In this essay, I will not only stick to the 42 productions from the documents as well as the writer’s imagination to tell about the skills compilation, but also list events like exhibitions and festivals of Jakob Morenga, a successful military leader of the Nama who 23 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 24 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

“WHEN IT COMES TO THE ATTENTION COLONIAL fought against the German troops. The novel Morenga demonstrates when it comes to German culture like historical buildings, beer, or that the history of cultural productions on German colonialism goes German schools. This exceptional German influence in an African HISTORY RECEIVES IN THE CULTURAL FIELD, THE back as far as to the 1970s1. But then it was only singular works country has become a focal point for some cultural productions as, and it took until the second decade of the 21st century that the topic for example, in Christoph Schlingensief’s filmThe African Twin Towers SITUATION IN GERMANY DIFFERS FROM THAT IN MOST was addressed in a broader artistic context. The last ten years saw a (2005–2009) or Evelyn Annuß’ exhibition and publication Stagings OF THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES WITH WHOM GERMANY strikingly increasing number of productions. The years 2016 and 2017 Made in Namibia (2009). have been particularly fruitful, making up half of the productions in SHARES A COLONIAL HISTORY.” my compilation. Another factor for Namibia’s visibility in the German discourse on colonialism is the German-Namibian War that caused the long- The already-mentioned importance of the year 2004 that saw the forgotten genocide of mainly the Herero and . The 100th 100th anniversary of the war in Namibia – which by the way was observation in 2004 of the beginning of the war, and more recently also the 120th anniversary of the infamous Berlin Africa Conference also the media coverage of the ongoing negotiations between from 1884/1885 – points to another noticeable feature in the German representatives of the Namibian and German government, helped to commemorative culture: It is Namibia that became the main point of bring back Germany’s colonial history to public attention. Significant reference for German memory practices. Even though the German- interest also received the German government’s decision to apply Namibian War (1904–1908) was particularly cruel and caused the the term “genocide” to the context of the German-Namibian War, first genocide of the 20th century, the Maji Maji War in Tanzania which was only taken in July 2016. As this decision does not address (1905–1907) – then German – lead to the death of no less reparations for the descendants of the victims, representatives than 100,000 people. As there are enough reasons to commemorate of Herero and Nama groups filed a class-action suit in New York the victims of war and scorch earth policy in Tanzania, this colonial in January 2017. Again, German newspapers reported extensively war is forgotten in today’s Germany. over the proceedings. Hence, Namibia is by far the most prominent protagonist in Germany when it comes to the topic of colonial This unequal distribution of awareness for the benefit of Namibia history. Works that particularly address the matter of genocide and is reflected in the foci of the German cultural field. From the body its aftermath are Ingrid LaFleur’s installation The Resonance (2015), of cultural productions in my sample, the most productions by far Ludwig Fels’ novel Die Hottentottenwerft (2016) or the stage play directly concern Namibia (12 productions in total). The other former Remains (2016) by the theatre collective anne&ich. colonial territories in Africa: Cameroon (6), Togo (2), Tanzania (1), Ruanda (0) and Burundi (0) gain much less attention from the cultural One work that does not fit to the mentioned former colonial scene. The same is true for the former German colonies outside territories of the is the ongoing project Eagle Africa Africa. I only found three works that create a link to former Pacific by Philip Kojo Metz, started in 2011. Eagle Africa deals with the colonial territories and did not come across any productions that colonial and pre-colonial German history in a multifaceted way, but deal with German history in China’s Kiautschou. Of course, not all the focal point of the project is the German fort Großfriedrichsburg productions explicitly referred to a particular former colony but to erected in the end of 17th century by Brandenburg-Prussia. The German colonialism in general. Once again, it needs to be stressed fort’s ruins can still be visited in Princes Town at the coast of today’s that this observation is far from being a representative survey. . If the colonial history in Germany is a marginal topic in public Albeit, the relationship between Namibia and the other countries is debate, the pre-colonial history of Brandenburg-Prussia at the coast still striking. of West Africa is virtually unknown and lost in German collective memory. But why is it like that? There are several factors that at least partly explain Namibia’s prominence in Germany’s cultural scene. Namibia was the only colony propagated as a settler’s colony and there still WHAT ABOUT THE INSTITUTIONS? I have heard many things about you is a German-speaking minority present that makes up about one After these considerations concerning the artists and their works, © Syowia Kyambi percent of the overall population. What sounds very small in number I will now shift the focus to the institutions that fund and exhibit becomes incomparably weighty when it comes to the distribution of works of art and also shape the discourse on Germany’s colonial farm land still in the hands of the German-speaking or white minority heritage. During the last years a number of festivals at theatres, in general. The German influence in Namibia is also strikingly visible art institutions and museums have raised attention to the matter of colonialism. Between 2014 and 2016, in three festivals titled 1 Here I focus on works after the Second World War. As Kea Wienand shows, one could also “Afropean Mimicry & Mockery”, the artist space Mousonturm in start this overview on German productions with works by Dadaist artists like Hannah Höch, who already in the beginning of the 19th century reflected on ethnographic objects in Ger- am Main invited productions by black artists that use man museums. See Wienand’s article „‚Deutsche’ Kolonialgeschichte als Thema postkolonialer strategies of appropriation, demonstrate a subversive potential and Kunst“ In Marianne Bechhaus-Gerst and Joachim Zeller (eds.): Deutschland postkolonial: Ende und Nachwirkungen des deutschen Weltmachtstrebens. Berlin: Metropol Verlag. 25 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 26 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

create counter-narratives to the white majority in Germany. The ambitious projects like 1884 can be financed in the future. “... A NUMBER OF GERMAN MUSEUMS theatre and performance space Kampnagel in presented the three festivals “This Ain’t Africa” in 2014, “We Don’t Contemporary” Another institutional influence has to be mentioned when it comes to PRESENTED SELF-CRITICAL EXHIBITIONS in 2015 and “That Around Which the Universe Evolves” together the topic of German colonialism. The contemporary discourse cannot with Berlin gallery SAVVY Contemporary in 2017, focussing on be understood properly without referring to the rebuilding of the THAT EXPLICITLY ADDRESSED Africa from a post-colonial perspective. Also, the Berlin theatre Prussian Berlin Palace in the centre of the capital and the founding QUESTIONS OF PROVENANCE AND Hebbel am Ufer did a festival in 2015 titled “Return to Sender” that of the Humboldt Forum that will be housed in the palace from 2019 introduced artistic positions from various African countries. Between onwards. Within the last ten years, a large debate developed around RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE November 2014 and March 2015, three institutions in Berlin invited the idea to move the ethnographic collections from the outskirts of artistic and academic positions on occasion of the 1884/1885 Berlin Berlin to its very centre. The debate around the Humboldt Forum, CULTURES THE OBJECTS ORIGINATE conference 130 years ago: Ballhaus Naunystrasse held the festival initiated by critics from the civil society, focusses, amongst others, FROM.” “We are Tomorrow”, SAVVY Contemporary developed a discursive on objects within the collections that were brought to Germany from programme under the title “Wir sind alle Berliner: 1884–2014” (We are the colonies in the 19th and early 20th century. The provenances of all Berliners: 1884–2014) and the Volksbühne had an alternative, post- these objects and the circumstances of their acquisition often remain colonial “Afrika-Konferenz” (Africa Conference). unknown and assumptions are expressed – in some cases evidence is already available – that parts of the collections were brought to Despite the fact that amongst these postcolonial festivals not all Europe under deceptive circumstances, including robbery and fraud. explicitly raised the topic of colonialism, it was a recurrent matter in various productions in each of the festivals. Interestingly, most The critique does not stop at the city borders of Berlin but radiates of the above-mentioned festivals were funded by the Kulturstiftung to institutions that take care of similar ethnographic as well as art des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation) through their collections. That is why during the last years a number of German programme “TURN Fund for Artistic Cooperation Between Germany museums presented self-critical exhibitions that explicitly addressed and African Countries”. The reason for the presence of the programme questions of provenance and responsibility towards the cultures the in the festivals might be due to the minimum funding of € 50,000, objects originate from. The Landesmuseum in Hannover did exactly which festivals inviting artists from all over the world easily reach. this in a temporary exhibition called “Heikles Erbe” (delicate heritage) In this regard, the goal of the TURN programme to initiate artistic between September 2016 and February 2017. Since November 2017, collaborations with African partners works quite successfully – even the Museum im Ritterhaus in Offenburg presents its ethnographic for institutions like the Volksbühne, that are more known for their collection in a newly arranged permanent exhibition titled “Ein distinguished productions in German Sprechtheater than for post- Fenster zur Welt” (a Window to the World). The objects collected by colonial festivals. the museum’s founder during the time of German colonialism are now presented in a critical way and the museum offers special guided Interviews with employees and directors from these institutions tours that make the object’s provenances a topic. The Kunsthalle in show that the TURN programme, initiated in 2012, came at the presented an exhibition from August to November 2017 that right moment in time. Before, artistic cooperation between German dealt with the town’s role as an important trade port during German institutions and artists and institutions in Africa had been quite rare. colonial times. Objects in the collection of the museum have been It must be mentioned that also the audience interested in matters questioned as manifestations of exotic, colonial and post-colonial of post-colonialism still had to be built up, which is indeed an European fantasies. From June to December 2017, the Altonaer ongoing process. Activists from the civil society helped problematise Museum in Hamburg asked visual artist Joe Sam-Essandoh for an questions of representation, prejudice and tendencies of racist intervention in the rooms of the permanent exhibition that show mindsets as seen, for instance, in the protests accompanying the models of ships that have been used to transport enslaved Africans practice of blackfacing at some German theatres. That is why only in to the Caribbean to work on plantations. the first decade of the 21st century did the awareness towards Africa Café Togo and its colonial interconnections with Europe slowly evolve. Still, Already from October 2013 to February 2014, the town museum of © Gregor Kasper in an interview in 2010, the director of the transcultural institution Munich presented “Decolonize München“, an exhibition that searched Werkstatt der Kulturen in Berlin, Philippa Ebéné, mentioned the for colonial traces in the city of Munich. From November 2014 to difficulties in raising a budget for the music project titled1884 , February 2015, the ethnographic museum of Leipzig together with dealing with the Berlin Africa Conference. As she explained, it was the institute of ethnology at the University of Leipzig tried out new the lack of interest that made it so difficult to finance the project with ways of presenting ethnographic objects in the exhibition “Vom external resources. Now, after the seventh and last application round Wissen der Objekte“ (the object’s knowledge). Another institution for the TURN programme in April 2018, the question again is how is the museum of local history of Treptow in Berlin. Since October 27 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 28 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

“SUCH A JOINED ENDEAVOUR OF ARTISTS AND RESEARCHERS ON THE TOPIC OF COLONIALISM IS UNIQUE IN GERMANY. IT DOES NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE NEEDED STUDY OF HISTORIC DOCUMENTS FROM THE COLONIAL ERA BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE ARTISTS, IT WILL ALSO CREATE APPROACHES DIFFERENT TO THE ONES OF HISTORIANS.”

2017, it critically addresses the first German colonial exhibition from a main reason why few people will be able to name former German right but an approach that favours topics of historic intercontinental the development of colonialism as a topic within the diverse field 1896 and deals with colonial history in a permanent exhibition. colonies in Africa. Even many Germans will not at all be aware of the relations and post-colonial interconnections in a globalised world. of cultural production could disappear once again into the mist of Also, in 2017 the Federal Archive together with the Goethe-Institut fact that the German Empire had its own colonies. topics not present enough to influence the cultural discourse. This in Cameroon developed the touring exhibition “Was treiben die This being said, there are more subtopics to be identified if one tries does not necessarily mean that the topic will also disappear from Deutschen in Afrika?!” (What Brings the Germans to Africa?!) based on The arts surely help to transfer the topic from political and historical to categorise the plurality of the numerous productions. One field political and historical debates. Instead, the upcoming years will show historic photographs from the former colony of Cameroon stored at debates to a wider public and reach out to other audiences. But these surely is the highlighting of the Africa Conference from 1884 to 1885 if the artist’s – and also the audience’s – interest is strong enough to the Federal Archive. The exhibition “Gefangene Bilder – Wissenschaft audiences are characterised by their cultural interest. People not in Berlin, which helped shape the imperial European influence in establish German colonialism as a lasting topic in the fields of cultural und Propaganda im Ersten Weltkrieg” (Imprisoned Pictures – Science interested in cultural productions with a post-colonial impetus will Africa in the late 19th century and created the basis for colonialism and artistic production. and Propaganda during the Great War) was shown in 2014–2015 at hardly be affected – at least not directly. Still, it can be expected that in the first half of the 20th. Artistic productions to mention here are the Historic Museum in Frankfurt am Main. It took the occasion of the cultural field works as a driving force that helps to keep a public Dierk Schmidt’s series of mixed-media pictures titled Die Teilung der However, there is at least one major project that was started in the 100th observation of the beginning of the Great War to show discourse on German colonialism alive. Nonetheless, it is difficult Erde (The Division of the World, 2007–2010); the music project 1884 January 2018 and that is currently running in Hamburg. Professor historic photographs of African soldiers from North and West Africa to measure this process, and only rarely do prominent persons like at the Werkstatt der Kulturen (2010); or Márcio Carvalho’s Berlin Jürgen Zimmerer at the Department of History at the University who fought for the colonial powers. However, the most important German former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier refer to performance within the performance series Demythologize That of Hamburg initiated the project “Visual History of the Colonial exhibition in this regard is the exhibition “German Colonialism – artistic initiatives or stress the importance of cultural productions History and Put it to Rest (2018). Genocide”. For its realisation, he put up a team of three Namibian Fragments Past and Present” at the Deutsches Historisches Museum, that make German colonialism a topic2. artists as well as one German historian who are conducting research Germany’s national historic museum in Berlin. Between October 2016 Another body of works centres around perspectives of Afro-German on more than 1,000 photographs taken in colonial Namibia between and May 2017, this major show for the first time presented German approaches that explicitly address black positions in a white German 1900 and 1918. The photographs are part of the collection of the colonialism as a substantial historic period to the public. Museums GERMAN COLONIALISM… majority. Fatima Moumouni’s spoken word text Back to your Roots Hamburg Museum of Ethnology, a cooperation partner in the project. and archives in particular have a responsibility to address the history BUT WHICH TOPICS EXACTLY? (2015) speaks about prejudices based on a colonial racist tradition, The team, consisting of visual artists Vitjitua Ndjiharine and Nicola of colonialism as they either hold objects from the colonial context On the previous pages, I already introduced some main subtopics while Simone Dede Ayivi’s Performing Back (2014) presents black Brandt, performance artist Nashilongweshipwe Sakaria Mushaandja within their collections or deal with historic topics. the cultural productions centre around. One of them is the German German activists with whom she discusses ways of dealing with the and historian Ulrike Peters, will have the presentation of their results Empire’s bloody history in Namibia. Due to Namibia’s particular colonial heritage. Furthermore, the exhibition Gesichter der Afrika by December 2018. The aim is to show historic photographs that do Referring to important anniversaries, programmes by potent funders history as a settler’s colony and the site of colonial genocide, the Rennaisance (Faces of the Africa Renaissance, 2012), produced by not present African people as victims of colonial oppression but as or political negotiations between Germany and protagonists from colonial history and current society in Namibia is much more visible the initiative AFROTAK TV cyberNomads, presents a black German active protagonists within the colonial setting. The historic material its former colonies, it is easier to find reasons for the occurrence in cultural productions than that of Togo or Burundi, for example. perspective on post-colonial activism in Germany. shall then be supported with contemporary productions by the of the topic of colonialism in the cultural field than to state to what A second major approach that became especially important involved artists. Such a joined endeavour of artists and researchers extent the artistic productions, in turn, influence the public debate. during the last three years is the questioning of the museum’s and on the topic of colonialism is unique in Germany. It does not only At least, the re-naming of streets in Berlin in other towns that still collection’s history and the (lack of) knowledge concerning the AND THE FUTURE…? support the needed study of historic documents from the colonial honour colonial agitators is a proof for a strengthened awareness provenance of particular objects in the collections. Then again, this Today, in mid 2018, one can have the impression that the topic of era but with the help of the artists, it will also create approaches concerning Germany’s colonial history – a development activists and questioning of the museums is often connected to the role of the colonialism in the German cultural field already has reached its different to the ones of historians. Instead of an academic analysis, artists fought for, for many years now. But even though the diversity towns that house the institutions and profited from their status as peak in the time between 2016 and 2017 – with 21 productions in the focus will be on the visual and performative and by this and the absolute number of cultural productions is remarkable, in a harbour with economic connections to the African continent, such my sample of 42 productions within the last ten years – and now potentially raise more public interest in the role of Hamburg as a relation to the German cultural field as a whole, the topic of German as Hamburg or Bremen. Lastly, I listed festivals that chose a post- experiences a decline in importance and publicity. Except for a first historic centre of German colonialism. colonialism is still a niche addressed mainly by institutions with colonial perspective and provided a stage for productions from Africa peak around 2004, it was mainly within the last three years that an interest in post-colonial discourses. This is even more true for and its diasporas. This, however, cannot be called a topic in its own German colonialism received substantial attention from influential the world “outside” the cultural field. German colonial history is institutions in the cultural sector of Germany. This year, only few 2 insufficiently or not taught in schools at all, which must be seen as See his interview with Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle from 1st productions have been announced to date. Therefore, it looks like September 2016: https://www.dw.com/de/steinmeier-kunst-kann-kolonialgeschichteaufarbe- iten/a-19518256. 29 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 30 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, GERMANY

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Via Intolleranza II Theatre May 2010 Burkina Faso, Germany / Bruxelles, Christoph Schlingensief European colonial history, Racist http://www.schlingensief.com/projekt.php?id=o003 Kunstenfestivaldesarts (1960-2010), German, famous stereotypes, development aid, filmmaker, theatre director and African Opera Village action artist

1000 Pages Video Performance June to August Princes Town, Ghana / Philip Kojo Metz (1971), Pre-colonial German history in West Africa, http://www.philipkojometz.de/www.philipkojometz. 2015, June to July Goethe Institut Accra, Ghana Germany, performance and German involvement in Slave trade de/works_3.html 2017 conceptual artist based in Berlin

AHOOBAA - den Room installation 22nd of June to 31st Altonaer Museum, Hamburg Joe Sam-Essandoh (Ghana) Involvement of Denmark and Altona in http://www.sankofa-altona-vi.de/index.html Ahninnen und Ahnen of December 2017 visual artist living in Hamburg trans-Atlantic slave trade gewidmet

Café Togo Film Screening 21st of June 2017 Germany / Iwalewahaus, University of Musquiqui Chihying (1985), Colonial street names in African quarter http://www.arsenal-berlin.de/berlinale-forum/ Bayreuth Taiwan, artist and filmmaker, in Berlin Wedding, famous colonial programm-forum-expanded/kuenstlerinnen- lives in Berlin and Taipei protagonists expanded/musquiqui-chihying.html Gregor Kasper (1986), Germany, artist and filmmaker, lives in Berlin

Crossing Boundaries Photography 2013–ongoing Germany, Togo Astrid S. Klein (1964), Germany, relations between Europe and Africa, shared http://crossing-boundaries-of-doubt.net Of: A Fragmentary Video is a writer, filmmaker and history of Europe and other continents Narrative in Nine Literature visual artist based in Stuttgart Chapters

Der Blinde Fleck. Installation 5th of August to Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany Exhibition curator: Julia Binter The role of Bremen as an important trade https://www.kunsthalle-bremen.de/view/ Bremen und die Kunst 19th of November (1984), Germany, PhD student port during German colonial time exhibitions/exb-page/der-blinde-fleck in der Kolonialzeit 2017 at University of Oxford

Der Blinde Fleck. Literature (Novel) 2016 Germany / Salzburg Ludwig Fels (1946), German, Colonial history in German South West http://jungundjung.at/content.php?id=2&b_id=225 Bremen und die Kunst novelist since 1973 Africa, German Namibian War, Genocide, in der Kolonialzeit Love between a German and an African

Die Hottentottenwerft Literature (Novel) 2016 Germany / Salzburg Ludwig Fels (1946), German, Colonial history in German South West http://jungundjung.at/content.php?id=2&b_id=225 novelist since 1973 Africa, German Namibian War, Genocide, Love between a German and an African 31 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 32 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, GERMANY, CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Imperium Literature (Novel) 2012 Germany / Cologne Christian Kracht (1966), German colonial history in South https://www.kiwi-verlag.de/buch/ German, highly decorated Pacific, true story of August Engelhardt, imperium/978-3-462-04131-6/ novelist, other famous novels German Youth Movement as answer to by author: „Faserland“, „1979“, industrialization „Ich werde hier sein im Sonnenschein und im Schatten“

Kamerun und Kongo Photography 16th of September Cameroon, Congo / Deutsches Historisches Andréas Lang, German, lives German colonial history http://www.dhm.de/de/ausstellungen/archiv/2016/ Video 2016 to 26th of Museum, Berlin in Berlin, well known for kamerun-und-kongo.html Exhibition February 2017 his landscape photography, Artist in Residency 2016 at Auswärtiges Amt

Kolmanskop Dream Room installation 31st of March to Ifa Gallery Berlin Pascale Marthine Tayou (1967), Diamond mining in former German South https://www.ifa.de/kunst/untie-to-tie/kolmanskop- 11th of June 2017 Cameroon is an internationally West Africa (Namibia) dream.html celebrated visual artist who took part in documenta and Venice Biennial

Der lange Schatten Literature (Novel) 2015 Germany / Berlin Bernhard Jaumann (1957), Reconciliation of historical colonial https://www.rowohlt.de/taschenbuch/bernhard- German, novelist for crime atrocities in today’s Namibia jaumann-der-lange-schatten.html novels since 1997

Beyond Wagner’s Exhibition 6th to 28th of Bayreuth, Germany / Iwalewahaus, Philipp Khabo Koepsell (1980), German Zeitgeist at the time of colonialism, https://favt.blog/projects/beyond-wagners-futures/ FutureS / Publication April 2017 University of Bayreuth, Germany German, dramatic advisor, poet, Richard Wagner as a contemporary A Leitmotif for editor based in Berlin composer during time of German Conquest colonialism

Maji Maji Flava Theatre 30th of September Germany, Staatstheater Kassel / Flinn Works (Kassel/Berlin) and German colonial history in East Africa, http://www.flinnworks.de/en/project/maji-maji- to 22nd of October Staatstheater Kassel, Sophiensaele Berlin Asedeva () (Remembrance on) Maji Maji Wa flava 2016 http://www.asedeva.com/projectszetu.html

Performing Back - Presentation 22nd of Sophiensaele, Berlin, Germany Simone Dede Ayivi (1982), colonial monuments in German cities, post- http://www.ballhausnaunynstrasse.de/stueck/ Eine zukünftige Performance September 2014 Germany, theatre director and colonial activism in Germany, narration of performing_back Erinnerungsperfor- performer based in Berlin history mance zur deutschen Kolonialgeschichte

Raus Rein. Texte und Comic May 2016 Germany / Berlin, Comic Salon Erlangen, Hendrik Dorgathen (1957), The stories in this anthology focus on the http://www.avant-verlag.de/comic/raus_rein Comics zur Geschichte Germany Germany, Professor for historic colonial school in Witzenhausen der ehemaligen Illustration and Comic, that trained young farmers for their new Kolonialschule in Kunsthochschule Kassel live in the colonies. Witzenhausen Marion Hulverscheidt (1970), Germany, research fellow at DITSL Witzenhausen 33 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 34 From Periphery to Focus (and Back Again?) -The Topic of Colonialism in Cultural Productions in Germany

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, GERMANY, CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Remains. Eine Rede Theatre 17th of February Cammerspiele Leipzig, Germany Theatre collective anne&ich Dealing with human remains, current http://www.cammerspiele.de/remains-eine-rede/ 2016 (Anton Kurt Krause, 1986, political relation between Germany and Germany / Anne Rietschel, Namibia, apology and restitution 1986, Germany / Sibylle Wallum, 1979, Germany / Michaela Maxi Schulz, 1985, Germany) Hommage à Sara Exhibition 8th to 17th of Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, Teresa María Díaz Nerio (1982), Historic colonial exhibitions in Europe, https://teresadiaznerio.wordpress.com/hommage-a- Bartman November 2013 The Netherlands / 1. Berliner Herbstsalon, Dominican Republic, visual and Exotic gaze, making of the colonial other sara-bartman/ Berlin, Germany performance artist based in Amsterdam Schutzgebiet Literature (Novel) - Germany / Frankfurt am Main Thomas von Steinaecker (1977), German colonial settlement in Africa, https://www.fischerverlage.de/buch/ German, decorated novelist, characters who settled over to the colonies schutzgebiet/9783596033065 also wrote „Wallner beginnt zu fliegen“, „Das Jahr, in dem ich aufhörte, mir Sorgen zu machen, und anfing zu träumen“ Shit Island Theatre 18th of November ORANGERIE – Theater im Volksgarten, Futur 3 (André Erlen, Stefan H. imperialist hunger for natural resources, http://www.futur-drei.de/shit-island 2017, 31st of Köln, Germany / Kraft, Klaus Maria Zehe), free history of Pacific island Nauru January to 4th of theatre collective in Cologne February 2018

Stagings Made Photography 28th of March to Namibia / Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Dr. Evelyn Annuß, guest- afterlife of German colonialism in Namibia, http://www.b-books.de/verlag/stagings/index.html in Namibia: 19th of April 2009 Berlin, Germany professor at Institut für history of colonial photography in Namibia Postkoloniale Theaterwissenschaft, Free https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/item/ Fotografie University of Berlin TVOK66CSOGJGI5UOJ75G53N6JL7B3T2U Die Teilung der Visual arts 16th of June to 23rd Germany / documenta 12, Kassel, Germany Dierk Schmidt (1965), Germany, European colonialialism, Berlin West Africa http://documenta12.de/index.php?id=1215&L=1 Erde – Tableaux zu of September 2007 studied art history and Conference of 1884/1885, European division rechtlichen Synopsen visual arts in Düsseldorf and of Africa, borders of African states, colonial https://www.amazon.de/Dierk-Schmidt-Division- der Berliner-Afrika- Amsterdam. Develops the genre legal systems Earth-Afrika-Konferenz/dp/3865608027 Konferenz of history painting The Resonance Performance - Bayreuth, Germany / Iwalewahaus, Ingrid LaFleur (1978), USA, is a colonial history in German South West https://favt.blog/projects/the-resonance/ Video University of Bayreuth, Germany visual and performance artist Africa, Genocide, concentration camp on Installation and founder of AFROTOPIA, Shark Island (Lüderitz), racial research on a research project that uses human skulls Afrofuturism as a social engagement practice

Das Feuer, der Filmscreening 26th of July 2017 Germany / FESFICA – Festival du Film Court Jürgen Ellinghaus (1956), Contemporary memory on German http://www.andanafilms.com/catalogueFiche. deutsche Pfennig d'Atakpamé, Togo Germany, studied political colonialism in Togo php?idFiche=1246&rub=Court-m%C3%A9trage%20 und des Kaisers studies, other films: „Der documentaire Funkstation versiegelte Brief des Soldaten Döblin“ (2005), „Glaube Sitte Heimat“ (2010)

Towards Memory Film 15th to 25th of Namibia, Germany / Berlinale FORUM Katrin Winkler (1983), Shared history of Germany and Namibia https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/ Music February 2017 Expanded, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany, studied photography, Index/2995481 Theatre Performance Germany as a filmmaker she focuses on Photography the interconnection of history Video and present Literature 35 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 36

NASHILONGWESHIPWE MUSHAANDJA is a performer, educator and writer with practice and research interests in the role of embodied and spatial archives in movement formation. His recent project ‘Odalate Naiteke opo Kegonga kuye Oshigongoti’ at the University of Hamburg, Germany is mapping African queer archives to suggest social justice and healing. Mushaandja is also a PhD artist at the Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies at the University of Cape Town, researching resistance culture in Katutura.

GENERAL OVERVIEW of cultural narratives on colonisation, leaving out other work that This project is a collection, documentation and brief critical lean towards themes of ownership, self-determination, futurism, reflection of over 40 cultural productions that have been identity and movement formation, which are not necessarily created to speak to multiple themes, particularly referencing and directly referencing German colonialism. These productions the heritage of German colonialism in Namibia. It is rather can be found in intersecting art forms at events such as the interesting to observe the trends, entanglements and patterns in newly-established Nama Festival, as well as other traditional these productions from themes to forms of cultural expressions. and queer-feminist cultural makings. This research is not broad The cultural productions referenced in this study spread widely enough to give us a clear understanding of how local culture and beyond the forms of literature, music, theatre, dance, is being used to understand the context at hand. This is to say performance, film-making and visual art. This work that is that local culture is more plural and complex than colonisation. engaging in multiple ways on the discourse of (post) colonialism It can be problematic to research culture in the linear order and genocide memory emerges from both urban and rural of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial because it limits us contexts of Namibia. The art and cultural work is generally to frame of colonialism1. This cross-national research project historicising and memorialising the brutal events, experiences needs to see itself beyond the documentation of this kind of and effects of German colonialism and genocide. It speaks to work and commit itself to genuine decolonial responsibility of a variety of issues such as rape, extermination order, forced holistic transformation. It is not enough to document and enable labour and the theft of land that were main instruments of discourse because it still largely remains accessible to privileged German colonialism. Some of it also refers to the entanglements groups instead of reaching grassroots communities. DOCUMENTING AND of and present-day culture. Some work takes activist approaches of suggesting healing and calling for reparations, This study is not done and surely requires extensive time and repatriation, restitution and restorative justice. Colonial discourse resources. It is process-based because new data keeps unearthing REPRESENTING LEGACIES OF and histories are always gendered. In Namibia, like in many parts and new productions are on the rise, given the increased public of the world, a lot of discourse on colonialism is written from attention around the 1904-1908 genocide conversation. This racist, patriarchal and heteronormative perspectives. I recognise documentation and analytical work must continue and be made VIOLENCE: (DE)COLONIALITY? these issues as my research approach relied on multiple lived more accessible to local communities with interests in this experiences and documentary sources which I critique through a subject matter. decolonial school of thought.

This research only references artwork and cultural productions CHALLENGES BY NASHILONGWESHIPWE that look at the historic and contemporary relationship between There are several challenges that researchers often encounter Namibia and Germany, particularly colonialism and the effects when it comes to doing documentation work. One common MUSHAANDJA thereof. There was an opportunity to include other local artwork challenge is that archives are often full of gaps. These are that references Apartheid and post-Apartheid situations but due gaps of information and knowledge about the objects being to the limited time and the high volume of selected artwork, 1 In book Chapter ‘Gathering Scattered Archives’ Margie Orford (2018) states that the terms pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial are not always appropriate and convenient for I could only engage with these focused selected works. This studying history, especially from feminist perspectives. She argues that these neatly packed The Mourning particular project was restricted to documentation and discourse terms do not only put colonialism at the center but also ignores other continuities that have existed before. This Chapter is part of ‘Writing Namibia: Literature in Transition’ edited by ©This Vilho is a Nuumbalaphoto caption and image credit. Helen Vale and Sarala Krishnamurthy, UNAM Press. 37 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 38 Documenting and Representing Legacies of Violence: (De)Coloniality?

both German and Namibian governments’ failure in post-colonial pain and long-lasting trauma of colonial violence. “ARTS AND CULTURE LIKE OTHER DISCIPLINES responsibility of social justice. This included monopolising the anti-Apartheid struggle over the anti-German colonialism. It Creativity and technology offers makers infinite, intuitive and OF REPRESENTATION CAN RUN THE RISK OF will be very useful for this project to connect and network with imaginative approaches of dealing with intergenerational trauma stakeholders in local educational spaces by making this data and violence. Today, more than ever before, cultural workers PERPETUATING HARMFUL IDEAS – INTENTIONALLY available in order to encourage more critical engagement and and scholars are equally confronted with this idea of finding artistic response to the subject of (German) colonialism and post- new, inclusive and creative approaches of storytelling that are OR UNINTENTIONALLY. ” colonialism at large. not necessarily about realist re-enactment, shock or ‘showing as it is/was’. In the dance production The Mourning, archival dealt with. I found this challenge to be a fundamental part of historic sites and expressive work such as Omitandu 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS images of the genocide are projected in the background. While this study. One reason for this is that very little research has There is something to be said about problematic productions or many believe it is important for the nation to see such images, I been done on rigorous archiving and documenting cultural Omitandu is praise poetry that memorialise and historicise artwork with parts that are troubling and ethically questionable. would once again reiterate that artists can do better than merely productions in Namibia. In fact, this study is one of the few certain sites and figures in history. The OvaHerero and Nama The data provides evidence on how productions such as Exhibit B showing such images. detailed projects that I have encountered, interested in rigorously communities have storytellers, musicians, scholars and oral has been previously criticised and protested for its controversial capturing, collating and analysing information regarding cultural historians who can assist with how to negotiate the engagement and troubling representations. Arts and culture like other Especially when work is themed around ideas of mourning and productions in Namibia. and artistic imagination of aspects of these rituals between disciplines of representation can run the risk of perpetuating memorial rituals, how can revisiting those gruesome images intersecting ‘contemporary art spaces’. I also believe that more harmful ideas – intentionally or unintentionally. Critical theory really enable healing? And if they choose to represent these Due to the limited time and accessibility to important research and documentation can be invested in tracing and and post-colonial thinking has offered us a variety of vocabulary troubling representations, shouldn’t they take us through the information, I relied a lot on conversations with local cultural capturing these productions in the regions, as they seem to be to help us unpack all kinds of cultural and academic problems. process of dealing with the future since mourning has to do workers and scholars, libraries, the Internet, and my own forgotten in dominant arts scholarship– given the dominance and In the case of Exhibit B, which is very relevant to the subject of with moving into the future? This particular work is not experience for information on the subject matter at hand. I found centralisation of urban and industrialised productions. German colonialism in Namibia, there are enough critical reviews suggestive, it merely re-enacts and narrates a particular history. these sources very useful although this research experience that will inform curators how to go about engaging with this kind These are all questions that I have raised with the producer of would have been made more fruitful if it could rigorously engage Due to time and geographic constraints, I particularly found it of work, should they choose to. One of the main questions that the work and I feel should be raised should this project engage with all the artists, audiences, discourses and work on a deeper challenging to access more artists from the regions that have has been asked about this work that re-enacts human zoos is, “Is with this production. level. The biggest gaps were often around the figures and details historically produced work in these regards. Urban-based work this a racist cultural production?” In my view, it is a racist piece on the audiences that have engaged with these artworks. It is has a larger and dominant presence on the Internet and libraries of work because of how it depicts black bodies and its hierarchal Less than 35 percent of the artists covered in this study are even challenging to provide estimates of how many people have making it more accessible compared to work that is found in structure of production. It is therefore a violent piece of work. women. This is not new since arts and culture in Namibia is experienced and engaged with these works because some venues rural contexts. Perhaps this is because art is indigenously part of A question that arises from this thought is therefore, what the dominated by men and patriarchal narratives. This is an obvious and production organisers do not keep strict accounts of these the everyday functions of the people and that it is not separately ethical implications of promoting, re-staging or re-producing limitation in the sense that women’s narratives continue to be figures and if they do, these figures are constantly changing and found in museums, theatres or archives. Again, this intervention this particular production are. This is an important question that erased and overlooked because of patriarchal dominance. This inaccessible. would go further if there was more time during the research cannot be overlooked should this project choose to engage with is also not to say that feminist cultural narratives have not been process. this particular production. active, they have been hard to access given the erasure and I have made it a point to include grassroots and traditional under-representation. What is also missing are queer narratives community arts practices that are not necessarily considered An interesting observation is that a very small percentage of Given that the subject of (post)colonialism has violence and points of view which are also generally erased from both part of the mainstream and central contemporary art world. the Namibian artists referenced in this study are trained at and trauma at its core, we have to be honest about cultural colonial and nationalist archives. It is less than one percent of These sacred rituals are such as Otjiserandu of the Ovaherero local formal art and cultural institutions. Most of them studied productions and their potential of re-traumatising both makers the data that references queer narratives in relation to German people and the /Khowesen Heroes Day Festival2 in Gibeon. These at foreign institutions, are self-taught or educated by their and consumers. While this is a complicated and contested colonialism. The feminist and queer perspectives in this regard rituals are context-specific and it is culturally inappropriate to communities. The rest are originally from or based in South issue, we must question the meanings and intentions of healing, are important because they offer alternative and valuable reproduce them in spaces of contemporary art. There is, however, Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Germany. This is interesting, reconciliation, justice and freedom if at all such productions wish insights, especially in how to respond to the legacy of colonialism an opportunity to engage the makers of these rituals through because it reveals the restrictions of Namibia’s education system to make valuable contributions of this nature. Productions such in Africa. reflective talks or storytelling, should this project wish to. These and its shortcomings in critically dealing with colonial heritage as Dead River employ and make use of derogatory words such community-based performances are also characterized by their and the post-colonial condition. It is not new to say that very as the ‘K word’. Again, this is an ethical implication. While this All of these ethical implications raise a fundamental question material and spiritual aspects of memorialising and historicising little is taught about German colonialism and the genocide on might not seem problematic to the filmmakers or other audiences, for artists and cultural workers dealing with issues of (post) early resistance against colonial violence. The performativity of all levels of our education. This reflects deeply in the cultural there is still something to be said about reproducing images and colonialism: What are the decolonial responsibilities of artists war histories can also be traced in their costumes, food, language, production as evidently presented in this research. This therefore moments of trauma. For some of us, it is incredibly triggering today? As stated in the early parts of this paper, majority of the calls for a rigorous engagement with local institutions of learning and traumatising to re-encounter these images and moments. The work produced is more concerned with the past and ‘divorced’, and culture including government. This significantly reflects work of reconciliation, remembrance and healing require safety and not directly dealing with the present and future. and sensitivity especially for the communities that inherited the 2 Memory Biwa’s (2012) extensive PhD research Weaving the past with threads of memory: 3 Larissa Förster. (2005). Land and landscape in Herero oral culture: Cultural and social narratives and commemorations of the colonial war in Southern Namibia. gives insight into aspects of the land question in Namibia. Published by the National Institute for Democracy. The work by young Namibian artists is pointing to fresh, futuristic the community performances of war memorial rituals performed in Southern Namibia and Also see: Kavari, Jekura U. (2002). The form and meaning of Otjiherero praises. Köln: Rüdiger and innovative ways of looking this difficult subject at hand. Northern Cape, South Africa. The /Khowesen Heroes Day Festival of 2004 is one of these Köppe Verlag. Office of the Surveyor General. 1994. Republic of Namibia: Map. Windhoek: events. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/handle/11394/2991 Office of the Surveyor General. 39 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 40 Documenting and Representing Legacies of Violence: (De)Coloniality?

I can reference the promising collages and paintings by Vitjitua also includes enhancing research in the regions, especially Ndjiharine; the performance and photographic work Ma Ndili those of the affected communities. The research project has by Nelago Shilongoh and Shomwatala Shivute; Isabel Katjavivi’s an ethical and decolonial responsibility of enabling future installation They tried to bury us; Veronique Mensah’s site- artistic encounters to enhance black, feminist, youth, rural, specific theatre work in the makingRemember me Namibia; queer and anti-ableist perspectives in the discourse of Keith Vries’ upcoming poetry anthology dedicated to the German colonialism and coloniality. Analytical mapping is 1904-1908 genocide Innudated. All of these are very new and not enough to make an all-round meaningful contribution to important because they take the discourse to complicated and cultural exchange, given Germany’s oppressive role in the intersecting points of view, in thinking of the subject at hand as history referenced here. By allowing the research to look part of the larger issues of both cultural invasion and resistance beyond what has been done and accessed in terms of this in contemporary Namibia. This is an important point to note as documentation, it opens itself up to productions that are Namibian art which has been depoliticised after independence, between the margins and beyond conventional borders. hardly deals with decoloniality, as it is often concerned with nationalising, traditionalising, memorialising and historicising. 4. The curatorial processes must facilitate and broaden collaboration and critical engagement as it shows these This could be a generalisation from my side and I am very aware works. The recommendations around decoloniality4 are of how flawed this observation might be. What I am trying to urgent and must therefore be considered alongside the get at is the discourse of decolonisation in art and culture. The exhibiting of these artworks. Moreover, it is important to notion of decoloniality in Namibia is generally under question note that it will be utterly limiting for the future of this marks as the data suggests. In my view, this is what future project to dwell on this subject without actively responding artistic productions need to invest in, the ideas of unpacking, to the needs in the broader context. (de)constructing and dismantling these fragmented and contested legacies of colonialism, while suggesting sustainable, inclusive and viable futures.

RECOMMENDATIONS 1. This research project must be sustainable and continue mapping these works as they continue to be produced. This documentation offers a lot for stakeholders in cultural and scholarly work; it fills a gap in knowledge. The study as a whole makes a valuable contribution to the area of “GIVEN THAT THE SUBJECT OF (POST) documenting cultural productions in general, which is COLONIALISM HAS VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA underexplored, especially in Namibia. 2. The research findings must be made accessible to the AT ITS CORE, WE HAVE TO BE HONEST artists, educators and cultural leaders (including corporates, traditional authorities, and governments) who are related ABOUT CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS AND THEIR and not related to the project. This work is useful for academic spaces as well as inspiring other artists to create POTENTIAL OF RE-TRAUMATISING BOTH work around and beyond colonialism as well as post- colonialism. This includes audiences and communities that MAKERS AND CONSUMERS.” do not have access to centralised ‘contemporary art spaces’, nationally and internationally.

3. The research must encourage and enhance the mapping and The Mourning tracing of cultural narratives of women, queer people and © Vilho Nuumbala differently abled people. As highlighted in this research, these narratives are often undermined and excluded. This 4 Outline of Ten Theses on Coloniality and Decolonility by Nelson Maldonado-Torres (2016). https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/58031476/outline-of-ten-theses-on-coloniali- ty-and-decoloniality/3 41 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 42 Documenting and Representing Legacies of Violence: (De)Coloniality?

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, NAMIBIA

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Mama Namibia Novel 2013 Namibia / United States Mari Serebov Genocide and colonial histories, gender, https://books.google.com.na/books/about/Mama_ Invasion, collective memory, Namibia.html?id=kZzx5Dky0e8C&redir_esc=y

Perspectives Documentary film screening Windhoek / Goethe-Institut and Free Your Mind Comedy Colonial histories, contemporary John Muafangejo Art Gallery German-Namibian relations, collective memory culture, reparations and restorative justice The Mourning Dance theatre, site specific work Museum, Windhoek Damai Dance Ensemble at Colonial histories, Invasion, collective https://www.nachtkritik.de/index. College of the Arts memory, healing and cleansing php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13 Choreographer: Trixie 181:fin-de-mission-das-kainkollektiv-und-das- Munyama (1978), Namibian, ensemble-othni-loten-am-ringlokschuppen- dancer and educator. muelheim-die-kolonialgeschichte-- aus&catid=38:die-nachtkritik-k&Itemid=40

They tried to bury us Installation 2018 Gallery of Namibia Isabel Katjavivi Namibian, Genocide and colonial histories, body https://99fm.com.na/revealing-healing-past/ John Muafangejo Art Centre visual artist. University of politics, Invasion, collective memory Namibia graduate

The Skulls of Film screening Namibia, South Africa Vincent Moloi (….) South Repatriation, colonial histories, Invasion, http://genocide-namibia.net/2017/09/skulls-of- My People African, film maker and screen collective memory, reparations, my-people-deutschlandweite-auffuehrungen-im- writer decoloniality oktober-2017/

Rider without a Horse Drama film 2008 Namibia Tim Hebschule Colonial memory and post colonialism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orC-5Du9jDk

Ancestral CD rack Mixed media installation 2011 Namibia Erik Schnack Colonial memory

Namibia: Documentary film 2012 Namibia Anne Poiret, Colonial memory The Forgotten Production by Bo Travail! Genocide

Hamakari Visual art - oil on canvas 2013 Namibia Nicky Marais Colonial memory

Waiting to Receive, Visual art-cardboard print on paper 2013 Namibia Ndasuunje ‘Papa’ Shikongeni Colonial memory http://www.nagn.org.na/index.php/component/k2/ item/74-artwork-of-the-month

Indifference Triptych video installation 2014 Namibia Nicola Brandt Colonial memory and landscapes

Waterberg to Documentary film 2014 Namibia Andrew Botelle Colonial memory https://vimeo.com/125135708 Waterberg – in the Footsteps of Samuel Maharero 43 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 44 Documenting and Representing Legacies of Violence: (De)Coloniality?

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, NAMIBIA, CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Dead River Drama film 2014 Namibia Tim Hübschle and Colonial entanglements Collective Production

Everyday People Visual art mixed media 2014 Namibia / Zimbabwe Chikonzero Chazunguza Colonial memory

1904 Music track 2015 Namibia Big Ben Colonial memory

Portrait of Visual art, acrylic 2015 Namibia Inatu Indongo Colonial memory Hendrik Witbooi

The Unseen Docu-drama film 2016 Namibia Perivi Katjavivi Intergenerational trauma https://vimeo.com/125135708

Okakambe Visual art 2016 Namibia Lok Kandjengo Colonial memory

The Scattering Literature, novel 2016 Botswana Lauri Kubuitsile Colobanal tetory

Vitjitua's collection Mixed media 2017 Namibia / United States Vitjitua Ndjiharine Colonial memory

1904 Mixed-media (visual arts) 2017 Namibia Ismael Tjijenda Colonial memory

The Lie of The Land Literature (novel) 2017 Namibia Jaspar David Utley Colonial memory / post-colonialism (Unam Press)

Prince Kamaazengi Literature poetry 2017 Namibia Prince Kamaazengi Marenga Colonial memory http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/the- Marenga poetry lie-of-the-land collection (A Trail of Bones (an adieu to 1904) and Land) Ma Ndili Performance art 2018 Namibia Nelago Shilongoh Colonial memory 45 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 46 Documenting and Representing Legacies of Violence: (De)Coloniality?

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, NAMIBIA, CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

US NOW Mixed media visual arts 2018 Namibia Hildegard Titus Post-colonialism

Under The Film 2018 Namibia Perivi Katjavivi Colonial memory Hanging Tree

Remember me Theatre and performance 2018 Namibia Veronique Mensah Colonial memory Namibia (site-specific)

Echoes: where do we Visual and performing arts 2018 Namibia / Germany Vitjitua Ndjiharine, Nicola Colonial memory speak from? Brandt and Nashilongweshipwe Mushaandja 47 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 48

NGANGARE ERIC also known as 1Key is a multi-lingual hip-hop poet, spoken word artist, blogger, performer and CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS actor from Rwanda. Between November 2014 and February 2015, 1Key created his debut album Entre 2 (“Between Two”) a reflective of complex WITH REFERENCE TO contradictions and dichotomies in his own life, in which he addresses subjects related to identity in 11 carefully crafted tracks. He is very vocal on social media about societal COLONIAL HISTORY issues where he fearlessly shares his ideas and opinions to spark conversations that bring about positive change.

RWANDA: A PAST ALMOST OVERVIEW gravitate towards the genocide. Pre-colonial music - especially FORGOTTEN IN THE ARTS Rwanda is two degrees south of the equator, at the heart of drumming and dances -aim to restore the connection between Africa, and shares borders with Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda’s present and its past. The current government’s focus the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda is hardly noticeable lies on reconstruction and fosters unity through cultural events on the world map but its history is too important to be ignored. and activities. Traditional drumming and dancing is a nation-wide The has been preserved for centuries through enterprise, practised even in schools. oral poetry. Rwanda’s History and therefore its contemporary society has BY NGANGARE ERIC Rwanda was ruled by an organised monarch before and at the taken, since the post-colonial period, a very different path time of the German colonial period (1884 - 1916). Together with from most of other states on the continent, which is key when Burundi and (Former ) Rwanda was approaching how colonialism is portrayed through cultural administrated as one colony known as German East-Africa with productions. its office in Tanzania. There is currently almost nothing that shows traces of German After the First World War, Germany weakened and Rwanda colonial powers in Rwanda today. In fact many people do not became mandated by Belgium until it gained its independence even know Germany colonised Rwanda. Today’s only physical in 1962. It was the end of the long rule of Tutsi monarch and reminders of German colonial past is the Kandt-Haus museum, the beginning of The First Republic headed by the Hutu elite. on the former compound of the German resident Richard Kandt. This regime seized property of the previous rulers and forced After the genocide, the remaining building was transformed into a number of Tutsis to exile. Some were transported in trucks the Natural History Museum. Only last year, it was converted into to Zaire (today’s Democratic Republic of Congo), Burundi, and a History museum with a permanent exhibition about the German Tanzania, while many walked to Uganda. The exiled Tutsi never colonial past. This small museum is the only visible interaction ceased to claim their right to return to their country but they with the German colonial past through pictures, artefacts and its were denied entry and were rejected as aliens. physical location.

In 1973, a coup was organized and a new regime, still Hutu, ruled When it comes to cultural productions, the sector has been the country. In 1990, generations of the exiled Rwandans created dominated by returnees who grew up (and sometimes trained) a coalition to return to Rwanda with armed forces. In retaliation, outside Rwanda, mainly in Belgium and France, keeping up the government resorted to violence by conducting systematic the French-speaking link. To note, Rwanda is English-speaking massacres of local remaining Tutsis. This escalated into the since 2008. All Rwandans speak as mother genocide of 1994. tongue. Nevertheless, artist productions are rarely created in this language. “Home” is a predominant subject in films, music Twenty-four years later, Rwanda’s identity is shaped by these and literature. Productions mostly start outside of the country, 1Key events. Testimonials, researches, plays and commemoration music Rwanda becomes a location part of ongoing productions. © Journal 49 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 50 Cultural Productions with reference to Colonial History Rwanda: A Past Almost Forgotten in the Arts

“PHYSICAL EVIDENCES OF THE COLONIAL

Performances generally happen in , designated for the small and its culture. PAST WERE DESTROYED DURING THE society’s elite and arts consumers. Bloody Niggers GENOCIDE. TODAY’S ONLY REMAIN OF THE Local culture producers suffer mostly from lack of physical space (Performance) to create and perform and lack of funding. When cultural events Bloody Niggers was created, written in French and directed by GERMAN COLONIAL PAST IS THE KANDT-HAUS happen, they are produced inside hotels, which becomes very Dorcy Rugamba (Rwandan poet, playwright and producer), and costly for both the producers and the public. Eventually there are Younouss Diallo. It is about History; but not just any history. It’s MUSEUM, ON THE FORMER COMPOUND OF less cultural productions taking place. the History that is not told in classrooms. The History of the vanquished, the massacred, the victims. Even those missing. THE GERMAN RESIDENT RICHARD KANDT.” Rwanda’s colonial past is evoked at most during the The history of those who are no longer present to testify. On an commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi between open stage, three actors get involved in the political arena just April and July. “Abazungu batubibyemo amacakubiri turamarana” the same way two people get into a physical fight - by taking which translates as “White people sowed division in our hearts, position, by scanning the opponent and by hitting them in a and we ended up exterminating each other” is a concept that is ongoing quarrel over the role of colonization. repeated when referring to the root cause of the 1994 genocide. Expericment It is hard to gather data related to cultural productions in Rwanda (Performance and documentary) due to a lack of media coverage. Cultural production houses are Between March and October 2016, Rwandan poet Eric 1key usually small companies run by a small number of staff. When decided to explore various formats and platforms of music and Based on the relevance and through how much focus the topic of Génocide des Tutsi which has references to colonial past. the main actor travels, it’s hard to get information. In a number poetry performance around Kigali, where many artists were colonialism is dealt with, the following works did not make it to of cases when artists travel to Europe or America, they stay finding it hard to thrive due to the abolishment of public spaces. the top five list but still deserve a bit of our attention. Antoine Mugesera also presented in 2017, in a self-funded small there in search for greener pastures. The process of producing this series of performances dubbed launch of his anthology called Rwanda 1896-1959: Destruction The Expericment was captured on camera and released as a CNLG Café Littéraires d’une nation in which he talks about the dismantling of Rwanda Data collection on this project has been through personal documentary after 12 months of close following. For the last two years the Centre National de Lute Contre le from the time of the Berlin partitioning of Africa. connections with artists and friendly recommendations. One event of the series was dedicated to storytelling in which Génocide has been organizing annual book cafés and debates that the artists shared his views about current politics, colonisation focus on Rwanda’s history of the genocide. Attended by at least a Sky Like Sky Here are five cultural productions that deal with colonial past as and untold history. thousand people, mostly youth, historians, researchers, scholars, Although there is no explicit mention of Rwanda’s colonial past, main topic: and authors indulge in discussions about their literary works that using movement, dance, poetry, puppets, personal testimony, The Future Is Now have mentions of colonial heritage of division. and wits, performers explore questions of nations, bodies and Rwanda94 (Performance) borders, of what it means to be local in this messy, global world. (Performance, Theatre, book and documentary) The project was initiated by Yule Burlefinger, a German poet, and Antoine Mugesera in the presentation of his book reminded Les Sky like sky pokes fun at difference, even as we search for the Rwanda94 was produced by Groupov (a Belgian production brought about the collaboration of about 15 young Rwandans and conditions de vie des Tutsi au Rwanda de 1959 à 1990 stressed questions that bring us back to the human. company) as a play, a documentary and text. Rwanda94 is a a couple of Kenyan performers to discuss through a workshop “The interests of the Belgian colonist were fundamentally compilation of genocide survivals’ testimonials embodied by the effects of colonisation and correlation to current labels black different from those of the Rwandan nation, […] the “Divide and The play analyses traumatic experience of crossing borders, actors with Rwandan diaspora, mainly. The topic is centered on people carry, even in Africa. From the name Afrofuturism, the Rule” of Jean Paul Harroy, then colonial Governor (1955-1962) borders that were imposed by colonizers. the root of the genocide, identity and dignity. objective of the workshop was to interest the Rwandan youth in and Logiest (Special military Resident 1959 to 1962) supported writing their own future through poetry. by the Catholic clergy, the White Fathers of Africa, reached the Elizabeth Spacman, American poet and playwright, who co-wrote Mboka unprecedented abyss in the annals of the world.” on Sky Like Sky had explored the notion of borders in another (Play/Musical) contemporary performance in Rwanda that combined dance, Mboka is Rwanda’s first musical which follows the story of a Seconded by Dr. Jean Paul Kimonyo, author of Rwanda, un poetry and theatre. The play is Frontières. The question of book store specialised in the history of the black people that is génocide populaire and Rwanda demain, une longue marche vers borders is tackled through various angles (religion, social classes, threatened to close in order to give the space to a hair salon. la transformation, both books mention Rwanda’s colonial past race…). Here she performs an excerpt for Journal. It’s an inter-generational conflict that puts in perspective the because one cannot write about the history of the genocide in question of the past versus the future. It also examines from Rwanda without tackling its roots: colonial division. individual and collective memories the effects of colonialism and what independence means. At the same time, protagonists have This year, CP Dr. Daniel Nyamwasa was hosted as a panellist to to choose whether to cling to the past or move with capitalism present his book Le mal Rwandais, de la racine au paroxysme du 51 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 52 Cultural Productions with reference to Colonial History Rwanda: A Past Almost Forgotten in the Arts

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, RWANDA

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Bloody Niggers Theatre performance Belgium / Belgium, France, Germany, Dorcy Rugamba, born in 1969, French colonial history, German colonial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qErepasxPXQ Martinique, Mali, Senegal is an actor, playwright and history, Spanish colonial history, English director from Rwanda. colonial history, Portuguese colonial history, Younouss Diallo, (1968 - 2014) Crusades, History of the World, World War was an actor and director from I, World War II, Dehumanization, Genocide, Senegal. Groupov Mass Massacres, Crimes Against Humanity, Slavery, Injustice Expericment Documentary film 8 of February 2016 Kigali, Rwanda Isumbabyose Ismael, Identity, universality, colonization, https://www.youtube.com/ Ngangare Eric decolonization, neo-colonialism, black watch?v=SubZxCPNOK4&t=248s history, colorism, democracy, freedom, freedom of speech, borders, power, leadership

Mboka Music 11th and 12th Kigali, Rwanda Ishyo Arts Centre Independence, in-dependence, colonization, Mboka full https://vimeo.com/172900091 Theatre performance August 2016 decolonization, cultural appropriation, diaspora movement, democracy, pan- africanism, quest for roots, home, exile, capitalism, mixed races, anti-colonialism, social revolution, archives, past, present, future Rwanda 94 Theatre April 2014 Belgium / Kigali, Rwanda Dorcy Rugamba, born in 1969, Turquoise, role of Catholic church in Full film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO06- Documentary film is a Rwandan actor, playwright the genocide, French implication in the qa1ffc Book and director. genocide, creation of “races” by Belgian Jacques Delcuvellerie, Belgian colonial powers, Hutu, Tusti About Rwanda94 http://groupov.be/index.php/ playwright and director. spectacles/show/id/9

The Future Is Now Workshop 25th May 2018 Kigali Yule Burlefinger, 1993 Rwanda, Afrofuturism, being African, being black, https://www.goethe.de/ins/rw/en/kul/sup/oca.html Performance young artist from Germany: colonization, decolonization, gender, pride, https://www.gofundme.com/mrfm9-the-future-is- poetry, writing, painting and future, revolution, stereotypes, inferiority now photography. complex

Eric 1Key, 1981, multi-lingual hip-hop poet, spoken word artist, blogger, actor

Box of Beatz KE, mixture of funk, hip hop, jazz and classical

Angel Mutoni, 1994, Poet/ Rapper/Singer-Songwriter, based in Kigali, Rwanda, genre: mix of Poetic Afro-HipHop/ Soul/RnB/Pop 53 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 54 Maji Maji Flava © N. Klinger

VICENSIA SHULE is a filmmaker, creative artist and a designer with knowledge in strategic communication, GERMAN COLONIAL crowd pulling and branding. She has bachelor and master degrees in theatre and film respectively form the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and PhD in theatre HERITAGE IN studies from Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany. Vicensia has been lecturing at the University of Dar es Salaam since 2005 in theatre and film. Apart from TANZANIA: lecturing, she works as a consultant in the areas of art policy, culture and communication.

INTRODUCTION films produced in Tanzania focus on love themes. Most of the A SURVEY ON ARTISTIC Tanzania is rich when it comes to art and artistic productions. music – and even traditional dances – captures love, religion PRODUCTIONS Since its inception arts have played a greater role in shaping (mostly and few in ) and political themes. The communities before colonialism, during and in the post- type of art produced in Tanzania recently is more audience and independence period. In the post-neoliberal era, art and artistic market-driven than commissioned or donor-initiated events. productions can be divided into two main categories: Artistic Few artistic performances have remained for the elite. Such BY VICENSIA SHULE activities happening in the urban areas and those rural and peri- events are mostly happening in the higher learning institutions, urban settings. Depending on the nature of the creativity, the particularly universities and in the urban-created theatre and audience also is divided accordingly. While it might be seen as cinema houses. Generally, a big number of art related audience there are not many theatre activities going on in urban areas, for resides in the rural and peri-urban areas and come from the example, a lot of theatrical performances are taking place in the middle and lower classes. rural and peri-urban ones. Moreover, in the recent years many theatrical performances have been occurring in many parts of the country. A good example is the mushrooming of traditional DECOLONIALITY music festivals, including the Cigogo Music Festival in Chamwino, Issues related to colonialism have been discussed using various Dodoma, an event for the past ten years; the up-and-coming Tulia theories including post-colonial, decolonisation and post- Traditional Dance Festival happening for the past three years in modernity amongst others. In order to capture the evolving , ; as well as the Art Festival, which has issues surrounding colonisation it is important to not only focus taken place for nearly four decades in Bagamoyo, Pwani. what happened after or during but also what was there before colonialism. Decoloniality is one of the theories used to focus These artistic festivals bring together both music, dance and at on issues related to colonialism from the colonised perspective. some point visual arts represented through musical instruments, Even though the concept of decoloniality evolved and is used costumes, makeup and props. While this is happening in the more when discussing issues from ‘South’ America, the nature rural and peri-urban areas, urban centres enjoy big musical and impact of colonialism is more or less the same, according to festivals. These include the famous Fiesta Music Festival which Nelson Maldonado-Torres (2011, pp. 1-2) goes across the country for almost two decades, Sauti za Busara Music Festival which has been happening in for the Decolonial thinking has existed since the very inception past decade and the Msama Gospel Music Festival, to mention a of modern forms of colonization – that is, since at least few. In cinema, there have been ongoing festivals, such as the the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries –, and, to Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) and the newly created that extent, a certain decolonial turn has existed as well, Sinema Zetu International Film Festival (SZIFF), which started in but the more massive and possibly more profound shift 2018. away from modernization towards decoloniality as an unfinished project took place in the twentieth century One can argue that in Tanzania, artistic productions appear to and is still unfolding now. focus on both the traditional and new digital art forms. Themes which cut across such productions are mainly those that the market is interested in. For example, almost 70 percent of the 55 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 56 German Colonial Heritage in Tanzania: A Survey on Artistic Productions

“ACTORS HAD POWER TO RESTRUCTURE AND DELETE SCENES ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF THE AUDIENCE, WHILE IN FILM IF THIS HAD TO BE DONE RE-EDITING WOULD BE REQUIRED. THEREFORE, BASICALLY BOTH STORIES WERE CREATED FROM THE OPPRESSED PERSPECTIVE.”

There is a direct link between the cultural productions produced four decades compared to three decades Germans had. narrates a trauma many Africans had to endure, whereby their knowledge on German colonialism. From the research findings in the colonised countries and colonialism itself. According to relatives’ skulls are laying in Euro-American museums. a documentary theatre production was developed about the Elke Zobl and Elisabeth Klaus (2012 p.1), cultural production The colonial legacies between the two were different, with British German Colonial occupation in East Africa. can be defined as “an intervention in the process of producing ‘indirect rule’ seen as better compared to German rule, which was The film storyMkwawa revolves around the notable African meaning”. This definition goes beyond, arguing that discussing considered as ‘direct and brutal’. Such discussion always revolves leader during colonial times in Tanganyika, known as Mtwa The production Nkhomanile has been inspired by the historical cultural production is similar to debating “doing culture”. In this around romanticising British colonial rule and resentment over Mkwawa. Mkwawa was a leader of the ethnic group known as Nkhomanile and some aspects of her life have been depicted process it becomes quite important to address questions such German occupation. It should be noted that, many colonised Hehe. Mkwawa fought several battles with Germans. In one of the – albeit with artistic license. One of the areas where Maji Maji as, “Where and when did a cultural artefact originate? Which countries have kept relations with their last colonisers and major attacks, Germany lost its commissioner, Emil von Zelewski. wars were fought was in the current Ruvuma region around legal, economic and political forces govern and restrict it? How identified the shared history, compared to the former colonialists After a series of German-instigated fights, Mkwawa ‘shot himself’ area. The Maji was brought to the area through Nduna does it express the existing power relations in society? Why was for many reasons; economic and political being key factors. rather than being captured, tortured and killed by them. The film Nkhomanile, who was the only woman Nduna (sub-chief) and it produced and by whom? Who consumes and appropriates it, The links between the colonised and the colonisers have been Mkwawa was done to reflect such story based on research. able to convince the other chiefs to accept the ‘Maji’ and use it as and for what reason?” It is from this framework that it becomes challenged over time. Having few mapped cultural productions in a weapon against the Germans. Nkhomanile was the only female important to discuss cultural productions but not in isolation with Tanzania, enabled a deep analysis of the collected data. Perhaps Maji Maji Flava is the story of Africans’ revolts against Germany leader and citizen among the 67 who were brutally hanged by nature of the events, epoch and rationale for the productions. this could not be easy if the mapped productions were many in occupation in the former Tanganyika. The war lasted two years, Germans on 27th February, 1906. The research was done as numbers. from 1905 to 1907. It is reported that in Maji Maji is where part of the Maji Maji centenary, revealing the magnificent role GENRES AND PRODUCTION PROCESSES Africans managed to defeat Germans. Germany lost most of it Nkhomanile played. There are specific artistic works focusing on German colonialism The Skull of Mangi Meli is a project examining Tanzania’s soldiers, and after two years of war many Africans started to in Tanzania, but it is not a topic of wider discussion. Only eight colonial past under German rule through the events of one die of hunger as they could not produce food while involved in Now and Then explored the photography of Walter Dobbertin cultural productions were identified and mapped in the process. leader in Old Moshi, Kilimanjaro region called Meli. The Skull the war. Maji Maji Flava created an imaginative and generative (1883–1961) who lived in Tanzania (then Deutsch Ostafrika) The mapped cultural productions came from various genres, of Mangi Meli comprises a short-animated film and exhibition artistic space in which language slipped between German, Swahili between 1900 and 1919. This German colonial photographer took including films likeThe Skull of Mangi Meli (2018-19), Skull X installation telling the story of this valiant freedom fighter using and English, abstract theatre clashes with driving rhythms, magic specific pictures and he was recorded as the only photographer (2016), and Mkwawa (2011); theatre performances Maji Maji Flava archival sources and oral historical accounts from the Old Moshi confounds science, and contemporary dance co-existed with who captured WWI images in from the German side. The project (2016), MV Liemba (2015) and Nkhomanile (2006); in photography community and the Tanzanian Diaspora. Different from other satire. Now and Then involved the photographer Charles Kayoka, who via Now and Then (2014,) and architecture with Global City – cultural productions which have been produced, compared the photography of colonial sites by Walter Dobbertin Local Identity? (2011). The Skull of Mangi Meli Exhibition will be shown in Berlin, MV Liemba is a documentary theatre production narrating a and his photography of the same sites. The project also presented Germany (November 2018 to January 2019), Dar es Salaam story of over 100 years, which still operates under the name additional photographs displaying what had Tanzania – as in other East African countries – reported fewer (February/March 2019) and Old Moshi, Tanzania (from March MV Lihemba, between Tanzania and Zambia. In 1913 the Lower achieved by the time their 34-year stay in Tanganyika ended in artistic productions compared to Namibia and Cameroon. There 2019) where the exhibition will remain. Saxony Ship builder Meyer-Werft obtained a contract to build 1918. are many reasons, one being the generation of majority of the a ship to be used in . Single units of the ship Tanzanians have read about German colonialism in their country Skull X is a post-colonial lecture performance narrating a story were transported in 5,000 boxes from Germany to . A Global City – Local Identity? is an architectural project shading but hardly experienced it. Stories revolving around German which occurred on the 2nd of March in 1900, whereby Mangi Meli 100 years after the odyssey of the ship a team of artists from light on pre, during, and post-colonial urban heritage. It focussed colonialism are documented in most of the primary, secondary was arrested. He was hanged from a Mgunga tree (Acacia tortilis/ Germany and Tanzania looked for its wreckage. The performance on the local identities in a global post-colonial environment and and higher learning institutions’ curricula. Two, after the WWI Vachellia tortilis), behind the Germany military station. The tree is brought out what remained from the colonial era including the ongoing urbanisation and the loss of history in the process. The Tanganyika was colonized by the British and Rwanda and still there today. The Germans chopped off his head and shipped ship, the stations and prison. By linking what is happening in project which apart from conferences, artistic curation, workshop Burundi by Belgians. The British stayed in Tanganyika for over it to Germany, the skull never being returned. It is a story which Kigoma currently, the performance questioned people about their and exhibition resulted in a magazine and book entitled Global 57 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 58 German Colonial Heritage in Tanzania: A Survey on Artistic Productions

Cities-Local Identity? by the Goethe-Institut, Tanzania. Apart from occupation, a different approach compared to other colonial tracing the story revolving around the historic Ebrahim Building occupations (e.g., British) in Tanganyika (today's Tanzania) is 1937 on Mosque Street in the city of Dar es Salaam, it provides a taken. The process of killing leaders and their people by hanging space for discussion on colonial heritage. and chopping off their heads was uncommon. Taking the skulls and installing them in various Germany museums for tourism and research has brought up more questions, such as, if the war THE WAR THEME IN was over then what was the reason for keeping those skulls CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS rather than returning them to the owners. What about traditions Almost all of the documented productions have war as their whereby people are considered dead when they are fully buried? main theme, except the photography exhibition Now and Then and Global City – Local Identity? Even though the photographer There are varied opinions on restitution of human remains and Walter Dobbertin covered events in WWI, Now the exhibition artefacts. Arguments based on whether they should be brought was limited to the German sites in former German East Africa. back and if Tanzania has the capacity to take care of them are According to Annika Seifert, who developed the project concept imperialistic. After a century of being on display these skulls and curation of Global City – Local Identity? colonialism was not need to rest in their land as families have waited to receive the main theme of the event series but referenced throughout as them for a long time. The decision to bury or put them in the part of Tanzania’s more recent history. museum should be left for the families to decide. The tradition of putting human skulls in the museum is not popular in many The concept of the war as depicted in many productions clearly cultures – even in Euro-America. Hence, even thinking of shows that there was a constant struggle between Tanganyikans returning skulls in Tanzania and restoring them in the museum is and the Germans throughout the encounters. Many productions not decolonization but neo-colonialism. This is what Mignolo and took the Maji Maji War (1905–07) of Tanzanian resistance against others have argued to be Western epistemological perception German colonial rule as its point of departure. These productions of history which has nothing to do with colonised. It should be even though they were focussing on the war element from noted that individuals have no recourse under international law. various directions, one of the fundamental issue which has been The family of Mangi Meli has learned that if they want his skull brought out is the fact that the German occupation in Tanganyika of to be returned, they can only advance their claims through was brutal and unaccepted. Regardless of all attempts to silence the government of Tanzania. It is the obligation of the state to the oppressed, Tanganyikans did not sit back and watch their represent individuals and individual claims at international levels. land being seized and their people being humiliated and killed; they resisted the illegal occupation of Germans on their land. The content of the production was basically anchored on the past, due to the past German colonial history. Some productions Skull X and The Skull of Mangi Meli brought the contestations challenged the existing history while some reproduced the between the human bodies and the spirituality embodied. The history. For example, in Maji Maji Flava we see change in questioning on the essence of why such memories should be narrating the story of the Maji Maji War. We see the characters’ treated as part of tourism attractions in various museums mix, having Tanzanians playing as colonialists and Germans in Germany is historical. A significant numbers of skulls are as the oppressed. Regardless of the good intention of the laying in the basements of German universities and museums director, the enactment did not necessarily change the perceived particularly the Berlin museum. Some of them were taken from dynamics; ‘blacks’ Tanganyikans were colonised and brutally the corpses of killed by Germans. These skulls were brought to treated by ‘white’ Germans. Germany as trophies, a symbol of victor of the German armies. Scientists examined them in order to substantiate theories of During interviews, it was observed that there were several race where the ‘blackness’ was subdued. 100 years later, more limitations on what was to be presented in the Maji Maji Flava and more demands are being made for their restitution to their performance and the presented content varied from one descendants. audience to the other. During the production, the director insisted that the performance should not evoke emotions by showing In these productions (Skull X and The Skull of Mangi Meli), which how Africans were killed under brutal German colonialism. The Maji Maji Flava clearly symbolise the war and the death resulting from such assumption was the presentation would turn the audience off. © N. Klinger 59 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 60 German Colonial Heritage in Tanzania: A Survey on Artistic Productions

It is reported that regardless of toning down the content, some efforts to make Dodoma the capital city, perhaps the dynamics “ACTORS HAD POWER TO RESTRUCTURE audience members – mainly in Germany – walked out of the will change in the coming decade. performance when Germans colonial brutality was depicted. AND DELETE SCENES ACCORDING TO THE Even some German actors used to walk off the stage during the Bagamoyo and Zanzibar are well-known tourists and artistic performance as well. Walking off the stage was allowed to enable centres. Having TaSUBa (formerly Bagamoyo College of Arts) and NATURE OF THE AUDIENCE, WHILE IN FILM IF actors to stabilise their emotions. its annual Bagamoyo Art Festival makes it easy for performing THIS HAD TO BE DONE RE-EDITING WOULD artists to access both rehearsal and performing venues with In the Mkwawa film, the producer/director tried to depict the ready-made audience in Bagamoyo. The same holds for Zanzibar. BE REQUIRED. THEREFORE, BASICALLY famous story of the Hehe leader Mkwawa from the perspective With several international art festivals, such as Sauti za Busara of the Tanzanians. The director made sure that the story was (an annual international music festival) and the Zanzibar BOTH STORIES WERE CREATED FROM THE narrated to empower the Tanganyikans who fought fiercely in International Film Festival (ZIFF), the audience and performing OPPRESSED PERSPECTIVE.” the war of liberation. One of the interesting aspects of the film space – particularly Ngome Kongwe/Old Fort amphitheatre – is how the director showed the contrast between ‘black’ and make Zanzibar more conducive for bigger productions like ‘white’. The Africans, the majority represented in the film, were Nkhomanile, which was performed in Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo those whose skins were darker. Hence, with the ‘whiteness’ of and Zanzibar. those who played German characters, the contrast was obvious. which perhaps implies that art is not of their interest. The involved in an activity if it is beneficial. Not only the issue of skin colour, which was presented in the film, Performances created by German directors had the opportunity audience for MV Liemba, for example, cannot be compared but also the ‘blackness’ was associated with power, energy and to tour various cities in Germany. This has its own advantage to the audience for Maji Maji Flava or the Now and Then WORKS CITED fearlessness, as opposed to the presentation of poverty, sickness as the audience from both collaborating sides had a room to photography exhibition. The same can be said about the Zobil, E. & Klaus, E. (2012). Cultural Production in Theory and violence. watch the performances, discuss and even shape performances audience for Global City – Local Identity?, which included local and Practice. Participate: Kultur Activ Gestalten, 10 (1), 1–19. or productions in the future. None of the performances and international professionals and students from the fields of If one is to compare the filmMkwawa and theatrical performance developed by Tanzanians made their way to Germany, apart planning, architecture, conservation and history. The audience Bourdieu, P. (1983). The Field of Cultural Production, or: of Maji Maji Flava (which I happened to attend the screening from Nkhomanile, which was first performed in Cape Town, South that will go to watch the productions behaves differently from The Economic World Reversed. Poetics , 12, 311–356. and performances, respectively), one could clearly see how both Africa in 2007. Nkomanile made a stride to South Africa because the audience which the production has been sent to – hence they directors were telling the same story from a different perspective. not only was it presenting the history of women freedom fighters have no option rather than watching it. If the idea of more reach Fanon, F. (2008). Black Skin, White Masks. London: Get Political. Perhaps this can be partly caused by the methodologies used in Tanzania but also the untold and undocumented stories of and more impact is upheld, there is a need to strategize more to arrive to the final products whereby the film was led by a women leaders who fought fiercely side-by-side men against on how to broaden the target audience, including exploring how Nyerere, J. (1966). Freedom and Unity/ Uhuru na Umoja. Tanzanian scriptwriter while the theatrical performance was the the oppressors, but their stories were less covered in HIStory to capture the general audience rather than the current focus of Dar es Salaam: . result of a collaborative work whereby actors from both sides documentation, which makes many HERstories as non-existent. using pre-defined and pre-organised audiences alone. collaborated on the development of the story. In Maji Maji Flava, Some South Africans saw the story of Nkhomanile through the Maldonado-Torres, N. (2011). Thinking through the Decolonial actors had power to restructure and delete scenes according to lens of their own anti-apartheid movement, whereby many Most of the productions in Tanzania were covered by both turn: Post-continental Interventions in Theory, Philosophy, the nature of the audience, while in film if this had to be done stories told by men are more known, documented and praised mainstream and social media. Information obtained during and Critique - An Introduction. Transmodernity, 1–15. re-editing would be required. Therefore, basically both stories than those from women. the study shows that very few productions used social media were created from the oppressed perspective. effectively. Notable productions, which at least got social media Mignolo, W. (2009). Epistemic Disobedience, Independent Most audiences in many productions were unique and not the attention and visibility, are those whose directors were from Thought and De-Colonial Freedom. Theory, Culture and Society, general variety. In many cases, the audience for such productions Germany. Most of the Tanzanian lead productions were not 26 (7-8), 1-23. PRODUCTION, AUDIENCES AND MEDIA was pre-defined - except for the few likeMV Liemba. Since the covered or documented well on social media. This means social Most of the productions were created and performed in MV Liemba performance took a travelling theatre approach, it media is not part of the strategy for many productions to reach Quijano, A. (2000). Coloniality of Power, Eurocentrism, Tanzania as well as in Germany and a few other places. The reached a general audience as compared to other productions new audiences. Finding information or images regarding such and Latin America. Napantla: Views from South, 1 (1), 533–580. Nkhomanile theatrical performance, Mkwawa film, Now and that targeted a unique audience of art lovers/sympathisers, productions was not easy, unless the director or a key partner Then photographic exhibition and MV Liemba were produced students and tourists in the art or cultural centres. Even though in the project decide to provide some. There is a need to invest in Tanzania. Others were partly produced in Tanzania and in actual numbers for performances such as MV Liemba and more on audience reach. Germany, such as Maji Maji Flava, Skull X and the soon-to-be- distribution of films such asMkwawa is not known, generally released The Skull of Mangi Meli. Exhibitions and performances speaking, most of the productions in Tanzania did not reach Moreover, artists’ involvement in such projects is divided. Some where mainly done in Dar es Salaam at the University of Dar es a mega audience. Nkhomanile was performed in festivals and are involved because of income, while others are interested Salaam Department of Creative Arts and at the Goethe Institute conferences with ready-made crowds and managed to attract in documenting the historical past and sharing it through their in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam plays a crucial part in exhibiting audiences of beyond 5,000. creativity. It is imperative to research further on the impact most of the cultural productions because – apart from being the of artists’ involvement from the colonial versus colonised business capital city and having many artists – it is a home for The type of audience for productions done in arts venues does perspectives. It is well known that people are willing to get many art organisations and funding agencies. With the political not share the same characteristics with the general audience, 61 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 62 German Colonial Heritage in Tanzania: A Survey on Artistic Productions

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, TANZANIA

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

Maji Maji Flava Theatre Performance 30th of September TaSUBa Bagamoyo, Tanzania, Flinn Works (Kassel/Berlin) / Resistance against colonialism, colonial https://vimeo.com/172138436 to 22nd of October Staatstheater Kassel, Germany Asedeva (Dar es Salaam) history, neocolonialism, Tanzanian-German 2016 relations http://flinnworks.de/de/projekt/maji-maji-flava

Then and Now! Photography 2014 Dar-es-Salaam, Charles Mustapha Kayoka: Colonial Photography and Goethe Institute Dar es Salaam Tanzanian photographer, German Colonial Legacy lecturer on media and photography at the Department of Creative arts, University of Dar es Salaam

The Skull of Mangi Exhibition Oct 2018 - 2019 Berlin, Germany Flinn Works (Kassel/Berlin) Resistance against colonialism, www.flinnworks.de Meli Film Old Moshi, Bagamoyo, Tanzania Skull collections in Germany, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania / Tieranatomisches colonial history Theater (Humboldt University Berlin), Germany Old court building, Old Moshi Dar es Salam, Tanzania MV Liemba Documentary 2015 Dar-es-Salaam / Several train-stations The German theater production Colonial Legacy Tanzanian-German Theatre Performance in Tanzania company, das letzte Kleinod in about a Colonial collaboration with the Goethe- Steamboat Institut Tanzania and TaSUba

Nkhomanile/ Theatre Performance 2016 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania / Department of Amandina Lihamba The overlooked role of women in the Maji Nkomanile Creative Arts, University of Dar es Salaam Maji war 1905-1907 led by female leader - Tanzania Nkomanile

Mkwawa: Shujaa wa Film 2011 Dar es Salaam – Tanzania / the New World Producer Seko Shamte, German colonial history, Decolonialism, http://www.chicamod.com/2011/12/14/seko- Mashujaa Cinemas in Dar es Salaam Managing Director of Alkemist Slavery, Restitution of Art objects, modern tingitanas-movie-mkwawa-debuts-in-tanzania/ Media society, Gender, etc. (several possible) 63 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 64

DR. KOKOU AZAMEDE received his doctorate in 2008 in Historical anthropology at the University of CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS Bremen. He is lecturer in the Department of German Studies of the University of Lome. He is research fellow of the DAAD (German Office of academic WITH REFERENCE TO exchanges) and the Hanns Seidel, Volkswagen and the Fritz Thyssen Foundations. His research interests include transcultural studies, Colonial GERMAN COLONIAL photography, German colonialism and German HISTORY IN TOGO: mission societies in West Africa. INTRODUCTION productions, but also to analyse the way Togolese confront The contact of African societies with the diaspora of German this past in their daily lives. Hence, about twenty have been Mission society on the West African coast dates from the end identified and the results of their analyses are presented. OVERVIEW AND PERSPECTIVE of the first half of the 19th century. From 1847, the first German missionaries of the North German Mission Society settled on the The variety of productions on the German past in Togo ranges West African coast among the communities that stretch mainly from simple school activities to large meetings that attract not between Ghana and Togo. It is with them that German missionaries only a general public but also intellectual, religious, political and maintained and developed more relations in West Africa. Then diplomatic personalities. The audience varies. came the merchants and especially the German administrators BY KOKOU AZAMEDE in 1884 to make Togo a colony of exploitation. Therefore, one OVERVIEW OF CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS can affirm that the contact between Germans and the Togolese RELATED TO GERMAN PAST IN TOGO societies lasted approximately 70 years before the First World War. Theatrical productions Memories of the politically, economically and culturally diverse 1. One Coup for Kaiser presented by "La compagnie Louxor" in relationships between Germans and indigenous populations on the 2016. The play deals with power relations between German West African coast are still present in the daily lives of Togolese colonial officials wand native workers. It concerns especially people today. They consist of tangible and intangible traces power/punishment issues. in Togolese society, or in the geographical area of the former German colony of Togo1. This presence is reflected, among other 2. Regard sur le Togo ancien by Francis Kwasivi Amegan in things, in various cultural productions in Togo that deal with the 2011. The play deals with the way German traders and German-Togolese past, which recalls the relations of various kinds Togolese natives lived with each other in the German Togo between the Togolese and German peoples. Given the complexity colony. The same piece was performed many times. of these historical relationships, it should be noted that activities are diversified and put people back into memories that are 3. Der Kaukasische Kreidekreis. Brecht-Adaptation by Alfa both distant and close depending on the empirical, scientific or Ramsès in 2006. The play deals with the adaptation of emotional perceptions of the actors or producers of this past. In cultural issue from the German society in the local context cultural productions about the German-Togolese past, there are of Togo. In a revolution, the fleeing governor's wife leaves genres such as theatre, cinema, literature, music, art exhibitions, her baby behind. Her maid finds the child and thinks for one photography and encounters, etcetera. night whether she can save a small child as a single woman in the war. She chooses the child. On the run, she runs into This paper is a collection of cultural activities produced on ever-increasing difficulties, ultimately, she is brought to the German-Togolese past. Its aim is not only to list these court because the governor's wife wants her child back.

1 Following the defeat of the German empire during the First World War, German Togo was divided into two parts occupied by the British colonial power of the Gold Coast and the French colonial power of Dahomey. The British part was later attached to the Gold Coast and the French part became independent in 1960 under the name of the Republic of Togo. 65 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 66 Cultural Productions with Reference to German Colonial History in Togo: Overview and Perspective

Exhibition of the German empire in Togo 1911-1914: A high-tech project 1. Tableaux d’information sur les sites allemands au Togo presented in the form of 100 photos.). The paper, presented “THE COLONIAL PAST OF GERMANY (Information boards on German sites in Togo). It is organised in 2009 by German academics Reinhard Klein-Arendt and IN TOGO IS A LIVING REALITY IN THE in 2017 by the Goethe-Institut of Lomé and financed Peter Sebald, deals with the history of the constructions by Alexander Beckmann, and shows identification and project of the radio station in Kamina, a locality of the MEMORY OF TOGOLESE, BUT OFTEN information boards on historical sites from the German Togo colony. The discussions show the goal of the project, colonial period in Togo. its strategic importance and meaning in the imperialist COMES IN THE FORM OF EMOTIONAL ideology of the German empire in Africa. The presentation MEMORIES THAT SOMETIMES 2. Regards croisés sur le Togo. Photographie des 19è et 20è is illustrated by 100 pictures that show the process of the siècles (Crossed views on Togo. Photography of the 19th and construction of the station, the utility of the station and CONTRAST WITH THE FACTS 20th centuries) is an exhibition organised in 2006 together different actors of the project (native workers, European by Goethe-Institut Lomé & French Cultural Centre and engineers, German colonial officers, etc.). RECOUNTED IN LITERATURE.” financed by the French-German funds. It shows a collection of colonial pictures from the 19th and 20th centuries. 3. 100 ans de pratique de football et d’autres sports au Togo 100 years of practice of football and other sports in Togo) is 3. Vestiges allemands au Togo (German remains in Togo) is a paper presentation of the German academic Peter Sebald a production by the Goethe-Institut Lomé that shows a published in 2007. The author reveals how sports activities collection of 20 identified and pictured sites of the German were practised in the German colony of Togo and the way colonial period in Togo. certain sports such as football were reserved exclusively for Europeans. It shows the circumstances in which the Togolese Books founded their first football team in the history of sport in 1. Si le Togo m’était dessiné. (If Togo was drawn for me. First Togo. contacts 1884–1900) is a comic book written by a group of Togolese writers and directed by Paul Assem. It was 4. De Togoville à Sinkassé. Les chefs traditionnels à l’ère published in 2018 and presents the circumstances in which coloniale allemande au Togo 1884-1914 (From Togoville to different social groups in Togo entered in contact with Sinkassé. Traditional leaders in the German colonial era in German people, either at the coast or inland. Togo 1884-1914) is a paper presentation of Peter Sebald in 2008 at Goethe-Institut Lomé. He shows the complex 2. Regards sur le passé germano-togolais. Mélanges en l’honneur relationships between traditional authorities of different du Prof. Valentin A. Y. Ahadji (Views on the German-Togolese parts of the Togo colony from the south to the upper North past. Commemorative volume in honour of Professor and German colonial officers. The colony of Togo could not Valentin A. Y. Ahadji) consists of 15 papers written either in have been founded without involving the traditional chiefs. French or in German. It presents the experiences of native The colonial administration conferred effective power on people with the German colonial past; with German Mission chiefs who had so far held honorary office and established societies in many domains in Togo; various rivalries on chieftaincy between the Kabye and Konkomba. It deposed the Slave Coast, underside of the treaty; and the rebel leaders and enthroned others in their place. complex relationships between natives and Europeans. The book was edited in 2018, Kokou Azamede. 5. Le récit de Dr. Richard Doering (1868–1939), médecin de la « Deutsche Togo Hinterland » (The story of Dr. Mixed productions in form of like presentations, symposiums, Richard Doering (1868–1939), physician of "Deutsche workshops and conferences Togo Hinterland") is a paper presentation of the German 1. Remix: Africa in Translation is a symposium organised academic Janos Riesz in 2006. It is an unpublished text in 2016 by German journalists, and Educator and French from Dr. Richard Doering on the Togo Hinterland-expedition. Reporter with Ghanaian Academic. Discussions with It provides further information on the Expedition, the Togolese people and academics concern the way Togolese exchange between Togolese and Germans, and the mutual deal with the German colonial history, and which role does appreciation and knowledge they gained. this past play in the current life of the Togolese people. Radio station Kamina in Togo. (C) Unknown 2. Kamina - la station transcontinentale de l’empire allemand au Togo 1911-1914 : Un projet de haute technologie présenté sous forme de 100 photos. (Kamina - the transcontinental station 67 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 68 Cultural Productions with Reference to German Colonial History in Togo: Overview and Perspective

the construction of the station mobilised enormous investments - archival documents from former German colonies. For instance, material and human. What is often retained in the presentations the Overseas Museum of Bremen contains religious objects “IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MEMORIES OF THE GERMAN and images are the German achievements and the authorship of from the Ewe communities in Togo and Ghana collected by the the German empire in this project. However, the Togolese public missionaries in Bremen, archival and ethnographic documents on COLONIAL PAST IN TOGO ARE APPRECIATED AND is more and more questioning the contribution of its ancestors the same communities in the archives in Bremen and in Berlin, in the construction of these great works. These questions are other artefacts from the people of Togo in the Dahlem Museum THAT THE DISCOURSE ON THE SAME PAST IS RATHER answered in cultural productions based on documentary sources of Berlin or in the Ethnographic Museum of Hamburg. It should from German colonial history in Togo. The information boards on be pointed out that discussions, that I personally took part in NOSTALGIC IN RELATION TO THE FRENCH MANDATE.” the German remains in Togo (2017), the lectures and debates on (Goethe-Institut Johannesburg 2016, Goethe-Institut Berlin 2016, Kamina (2009), the comic book (2018) and mixtures published Ethnographic Museum Hamburg 2018) are under way between on the German-African past (2018) show how the Togolese German and African experts to define arrangements for the Film institutions for vocational education and training to this day. The natives were willingly or forcibly involved in the construction circulation and restitution of certain historical objects of African 1. The fire, a fowl and an (un)forgotten past - 2015is Evangelical and Catholic schools and colleges in several towns in of the German sites. The Togolese are increasingly aware that communities, since the idea that these artefacts represent, on showed in Togo in 2017 by its producer Jürgen Ellinghaus. Togo are concrete examples. Many of the parents who enrol their their ancestors were forcibly displaced from their places of the one hand, a large part of the identities of African peoples, The film presents the memories about German Togoland children in these educational centres consider that the Togolese residence to carry out forced labour for the construction projects and on the other constitute a common colonial heritage between during the first world. "Togoland", the later Togo and the contact with the German Protestant and Catholic mission of railways, roads, buildings, wharfs, etcetera... for the benefit German society and African societies formerly colonised by the eastern part of today's Ghana, experienced the first German societies was positive in terms of the social and educational of the German colonial project. This is why critical views in the German Empire. The “House of Culture” will thus take advantage capitulation in the early days of the First World War. values that the latter transmitted through evangelisation public see the so-called German achievements or sites in Togo of this initiative to promote a better knowledge of Togo's colonial during the German colonial era. Therefore these institutions rather as a common legacy from colonisation. In this perspective, history among Togolese youth as well as intercultural dialogue Considering the exhaustive descriptions made in the cultural are considered as colonial heritage related to social values of the KARP – Kamina Artists and Researchers Residency Platform between the Togolese and German people. productions tables, it can be seen that cultural activities and education to Christian life, discipline, work and punctuality as in – project (2016–2016) aims to rehabilitate the Kamina site by productions related to the German-Togolese past are very regular the German colonial era. Thus, this position would be considered building residences for artists and organising various annual and diversified, and attract as much the Togolese public in all as the perpetuation of a colonial tradition by a Togolese social international meetings between artists and intellectuals, and then CONCLUSION its socio-professional diversity. The colonial past of Germany group inheriting the social and Christian habits resulting from the to promote tourism on the site as a place of German-Togolese It is obvious that the memories of the German colonial past in in Togo is a living reality in the memory of the Togolese, but German Protestant and Catholic missions. memory. Togo are appreciated and that the discourse on the same past often comes in the form of emotional memories that sometimes is rather nostalgic in relation to the French mandate after the contrast with the facts recounted in literature. The results of Exhibitions or presentations relating to contact with German PERSPECTIVE OF GERMAN-TOGOLESE departure of the Germans from Togo. The history of the French these cultural productions highlight socio-cultural, political and missionaries still lead to emotional reactions that question the COLONIAL HERITAGE in Togo (1918–1960) left a taste of unfinished economic themes in the Togolese public that deserve to be traditional religious practices in the local societies. Pictures of The various cultural productions and the debates they provoke business and frustration, while the German Mission Societies analysed. the catholic cathedral or the evangelical temple built by the in the public lead the Togolese State to take into consideration (1847–1914) and colonial past in Togo (1884–1914) is generally Steyler mission (in Togo since 1892) and the North German the question of the conservation of historical sources in general more present through material and immaterial traces that RESULTS OF CULTURAL PRODUCTION Mission Society (since 1847) respectively are much appreciated and of the colonial heritage in particular. For several years, the can be observed here and there in the Togolese population. AND ANALYSES in Catholic and Evangelical Christian communities founded project of rehabilitation by the Togolese State of the Governors' However, one can observe that the current living conditions at that time. For these communities, the presence of German Palace built under the colonial rule of the German Governor Graf of the Togolese and outside interference in the socio-political Education as colonial heritage missionaries in Togo has influenced the religious life of the von Zech in 1905 has been topical. During a presentation of the life of Togo force the Togolese public to take refuge in a past, One can see how theatrical performances, series of exhibitions Togolese and opened their eyes to the benefit of Christianity in site on February 6, 2018 by the project's director, Sonia Lawson, giving them the illusion that the sudden break with the German or film screenings on the German past in Togo give emotional relation to certain local religious beliefs. the latter explained that the project aims to make the former colonial past is responsible. The dream therefore takes the place reactions in the public and later lead to many discussions in Governors' Palace a “House of Arts and Culture”. The presentation of reality. Nevertheless, cultural activities such as discussions on the audience, while meetings of reflections on the same past Power and domination of the project at the University of Lomé on November 2nd, 2018 the colonial past or study visits to German sites in Togo gradually lead rather to an awareness on the socio-political realities and It is clear that the German traces give memories linked to by the coordinator Bernard Müller and his collaborator Gaetan lead to a critical look at German-Togolese history. the misdeeds of colonisation. The theatrical play "One Coup for large-scale German achievements that show the technical and Noussouglo indicates that the space of arts and culture could Kaiser", the photo exhibition of the 19th and 20th centuries and intellectual greatness of the German people. Colonial images house all kinds of cultural activities such as artistic encounters, the symposium "Remix: Africa in translation" prove it. In view showing schools, public buildings, hospitals, temples and theatrical performances, exhibitions and frames for discussion, of all these varied productions, the Togolese people believe that cathedrals give the feeling that the German colonial past in and eventually conservation of historical remains or colonial certain social and cultural habits or values that missionaries, Togo is not only a period of bullying and abuse or racism. These artefacts. It is therefore a place of memory where the colonial traders or colonial officials have passed on persist in the were also times of great technological projects in the former heritage among others can be visited and discussed. memories or even influence the Togolese people's habits today. colony. The presentation and exhibition on “Kamina - the The realisation of this project could thus serve as an important Examples include school education, transcription of the local transcontinental station of the German empire in Togo 1911–1914: framework for cultural exchanges between artists, museum , Christianity as a way of life and etcetera. Both A high-tech project presented in the form of 100 photos” is one curators, historians and anthropologists from Togo and those Evangelical and Catholic denominational education centres and of the examples. It should be noted that Kamina's memories are from Germany for example, as German museums undoubtedly schools from German Mission Societies continue to be reference present in the discussions on the German colonial power, because have countless materials such as artefacts, photographs, and 69 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 70 Cultural Productions with Reference to German Colonial History in Togo: Overview and Perspective

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, TOGO

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

One Coup For Kaiser (Street) Theatre 19th of November Lomé- Baguida (Togo) / Lomé City: Agoe “Compagnie Louxor” Relationships at work between German https://compagnielouxor.wordpress.com/ to 16th of December Zongo; Akasime; Katanga; Inland town: represented by Amah Joël colonial officers and native workers 2016 Tsevie. AJAVON, Kokouvi Dzifa (concerning especially Power / Punishment http://www.theaterkonstanz.de/tkn/news/08196/ GALLEY, Marie-José GBEGBI, issues etc.) index.htmlics Jean KANTCHEBE, Séli KODJOVI-NUMADO, Ayao Edem MODJRO Theater Konstanz represented by : Rafael David KOHN from Luxemburg, Erinnerungstafeln Photography 9th of February Lomé (Goethe-Institut) Alexander Beckmann (born German colonial sites in Togo http://www.togoportail.net/2017/02/togo-le-gothe- (Informations boards 2017 1955, German, sponsor of the institut-expose-sur-les-panneaux-didentification-et- in Togo) project) and Goethe-Institut dinformation-sur-les-vertiges-allemands-au-togo/

Si le Togo m’était Literature 2018 Lomé Koffivi ASSEM (born in 1980, German colonial history in Togo dessiné. Premiers Togolese, writer and editor) contacts 1884-1900

Si le Togo m’était Literature 2018 Koffivi ASSEM (born in 1980, German colonial history in Togo dessiné. Premiers Togolese, writer and editor) contacts 1884-1900

Regard sur le Togo Theatre 25th of February Lomé (Université du Bénin) / Francis Kwassi Amegan (born in The life of German traders and Togolese ancien 2011 Lomé (Goethe-Institut) 1938, from Togo, dramatist and natives in the German Togo colony lecturer)

Remix. Africa in Film: Documentary series from the 22nd of July Lomé, Agbodrafo, Togoville und Aného / Nadja Ofuatey-Alazard (German German colonial history, Slavery, http://www.bpb.de/mediathek/254151/remix-africa- translation: Togo former German colonies 2016 Goethe-Institut Lomé journalist), Nicolas Grange Postcolonialism in-translation-togo (French Film maker)

Exhibition: Photography 4th of February Lomé, Togo / Goethe Institut Lomé Goethe-Institut (Edem German colonial history https://www.goethe.de/ins/tg/de/kul/sup/dsi.html German traces 2015 Attiogbe) in Togo (Vestiges allemands au Togo – Auf deutschen Spurensuche in Togo)

Togo-KARP Variation of artistic productions November 2016, Kamina Samuel Olou (Togolese, living in Kamina, German colonial history, arts, ‘Kamina Artists (Theatre, Performance, Photography, November 2017, Sweden), plastic (visual) artist centre for artistic training) and Researchers Video, Litearture, exhibition) July 2018 Residency Plateform’ 71 German Colonial Heritage in Africa – Artistic and Cultural Perspectives 72 Cultural Productions with Reference to German Colonial History in Togo: Overview and Perspective

LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, TOGO, CONTINUED

TITLE GENRE DATE LOCATION OF PRODUCTION / PRODUCER THEMES LINK PRESENTATION

The fire, A Fowl and Film, video July 2017 to June France and Germany / Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Jürgen Ellinghaus, Born in German colonial history http://www.andanafilms.com/catalogueFiche. an (un)forgotten past 2018 Germany, Chile, Mexico, Angola, Cameroon, Germany in 1956, studied php?idFiche=1246&rub=Court-m%C3%A9trage%20 - Togoland 2015 Benin, Uruguay, Austria, Political Science; film producer documentaire and director.

Regards croisés sur le Photography 14th of November Lomé (Goethe-Institut & Goethe-Institut Lomé & Centre German colonial history http://www.panapress.com/Des-photographies- Togo: photographies 2006 Centre Culturel Français) Culturel Français historiques-du-Togo-en-exposition-a-Lome--13- des XIXè et XXè 640717-17-lang4-index.html siècles

Kamina - la station Literature March 2009 Lomé – Togo / Goethe–Institut Lomé Peter Sebald, German, born German colonial history http://www.namibiana.de/namibia-information/ transcontinentale de Photography 15.05.1934 academic who-is-who/autoren/infos-zur-person/reinhard- l’empire allemand & Dr. habil Reinhard Klein- klein-arendt.html au Togo 1911-1914 : Arendt, German, born on Un projet de haute 03.12.1959, academic technologie présenté sous forme de 100 photos

Regards sur le Literature 28th of May 2018 Togo Kokou Azamede, from Togo, German colonial history passé germano- academic, [email protected] togolais. Mélanges en l’honneur du Prof. Valentin A. Y. Ahadji Si le Togo m’était Literature 2018 Lomé, Togo Koffivi ASSEM (born in 1980, German colonial history in Togo dessiné. Premiers Togolese, writer and editor) contacts 1884-1900

German vestiges in Photography 9th of February Lomé (Goethe-Institut) Alexander Beckmann (born German colonial sites in Togo http://www.togoportail.net/2017/02/togo-le-gothe- Togo 2017 1955, German, sponsor of the institut-expose-sur-les-panneaux-didentification-et- project) and Goethe-Institut dinformation-sur-les-vertiges-allemands-au-togo/

One Coup For Kaiser (Street) Theatre 19th of November Lomé- Baguida (Togo) / Lomé City: collective artists from Togo: Relationships at work between German https://compagnielouxor.wordpress.com/ to 16th of December Agoe Zongo; Akasime; Katanga; Inland town: “Compagnie Louxor” colonial officers and native workers 2016 Tsevie represented by Amah Joël (concerning especially Power / Punishment http://www.theaterkonstanz.de/tkn/news/08196/ AJAVON, Kokouvi Dzifa issues etc.) index.htmlics GALLEY, Marie-José GBEGBI, Jean KANTCHEBE, Séli KODJOVI-NUMADO, Ayao Edem MODJRO Theater Konstanz represented by : Rafael David KOHN from Luxemburg, - Artists are between 25 and 35 years old

Regard sur le Theatre 25 of February 2011 Lomé (Goethe-Institut) Francis Kwassi Amegan (born in The life of German traders and Togolese Togo ancien 1938, from Togo, dramatist and natives in the German Togo colony lecturer)

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