Last Thursday we held a screening of AmaZulu –Children of Heaven at the Platform office. As usual at Shake! we don’t do things normally, after watching the film, we all participated in a short free write. Free writes are exactly what they say they are; free writing. No thinking, no processing, just pen on paper. We find free writes are a great creative tool and an easy way to get all the thoughts floating in our heads out on paper, they even help frame some interesting discussions.
Post film discussions with Jordan and Nathaniel
Here are two examples of free writes by Shake!r’s Umaru and Lucas after watching AmaZulu:
AMAZULU- CHILDREN OF HEAVEN
When I see life lived the hard way, the other side of living, the other side of life itself, which I don’t have to go through, its hard and I do count myself blessed for the things I take for granted… a home, family, friends even food. Its taught me that it is hard but you have no choice but to follow your dreams, because if you don’t its like the Amazulu children going to school without singing their song. What’s the point? But It’s great when you can leave a place of labour where you have made great friends for life and hear the words “well done”you have done your job, mission accomplished, yeh mission accomplished. In South Africa there is a long way to go before we hear those words- mission accomplished but the children of Amazulu showed us that it is a start. Its massive steps back when guys spread HIV to girls without even thinking about the consequences, but children of heaven keep singing your song, because we all need to hear it. – By Umaru Saidu
AmaZulu warriors are children from above supporting people and singing as they go into exams is truly real love. I am amazed by their personalities and warming attitude. They are really inspiring and compel me to muse. Similarities and differences form their country to ours, their cheerfulness is really contagious and makes me want to give them flowers. The ins and outs of African lifestyle is truly sublime and I love to right about them paper with a lot of rhymes. –By Lucas Kelly
Many thanks to those of you who joined us for the screening and the lively discussion that followed, especially film maker Hannan Majid. See you next month!