Finding the Heartspace

“More than 50% of South Africans still do not mix with people of other race groups.” Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, May 2005

“We need dialogue … we need to find ways of making public spaces intimate …“ Prof. Pumla Gobodo-Madikazela, May 2005. Member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The design of the Reconciliation Labyrinth emerged from a journey of personal transformation, a journey searching for ways of reconciling the inner with the outer journey. The design at its most basic is a depiction of a journey of the balancing of opposites, a journey through not-knowing and of the mindful search for a third way forward. Its design is informed by Jungian theory and inspired by a two path labyrinth design by Marti Kermeen. The opposites explored and in dialogue with each other can, for example, be conceived of as the process of developing of awareness of the relation to ‘the other’, either intra or interpersonally, between the lived and unlived life, the masculine and the feminine, the conscious and unconscious, between light and shadow and as a search for wholeness after one-sidedness.

In the South African context, it is a journey exploring new ways of being South African.

Installed permanently at the foot of the Kommetjie lighthouse, a popular stopping point on the famous Cape Peninsula scenic route, the Reconciliation Labyrinth is walked throughout the year by hundreds of visitors. Temporary or portable versions of this labyrinth are used in a variety of contexts where South Africans can meet mindfully on neutral territory where inner journeys can be travelled, together, in shared public intimacy.

This unique labyrinth design is increasingly being built and used as a therapeutic tool for individuals and groups in South Africa, the USA, Europe and elsewhere, and in a variety of practices: in solitude, in silence, in workshops, by pairs, by families and groups, with performing artists, poets, drummers, dancers.

Unlike most labyrinths this unique design has two entrances, recognising that, because of apartheid, South Africans do not start the journey towards healing from the same place. However, with the intention to relate, to recognize differences and to grow in the strength of diversity, each walker starts the labyrinthine journey from her or his own ‘feet’, walking a private path. Soon the walkers meet and then they walk the path that the other has just walked.

This reflective journey takes the walkers through many turning points to their ‘heartspace’ where each can choose whether or not they are ready to enter the centre. When it is time to leave, the walkers may choose a third way by which to exit the Reconciliation Labyrinth on their path to tomorrow, together. In the words of Sarah Riely (1991): “The human heart is common ground”.

Clare Wilson

26 September 2009

“Stories move in circles”

They don’t move in straight lines.
So it helps if you listen in circles.
There are stories inside stories
and stories between stories,
and finding your way through them
is as easy and as hard
as finding your way home.

And part of the finding is
the getting lost.

And when you’re lost,
you start to look around
and to listen.

  • Corey Fischer, Albert Greenberg and Naomi Newman -
    A Travelling Jewish Theatre, Coming from a Great Distance

Quoted in

Anne Schuster
Foolish Delusions
Jacana, 2005

Clare Wilson

23 September 2009

The eMzantsi Project

COLLABORATIONS:

The Reconciliation Labyrinth has been a proud collaborator with the eMzantsi Project since it’s birth in 2005.

eMzantsi’ means ‘in the South’ in isiXhosa and the eMzantsi Carnival is all about celebrating life in Cape Town’s southern peninsula. The eMzantsi project seeks to enhance awareness of our rich cultural heritage in order to boost both tourism and pride in the valley.

The far South is so often marketed through images of its wonderful wildlife - baboons, whales, penguins - but rarely of its kaliedoscope of wonderful people, which could be its strongest selling point. The eMzantsi Carnival was initiated in 2005 by Sam Pearce of Noordhoek, Alvin Castro of Ocean View and Rodney Ndyalvan of Masiphumelele to draw our diverse communities closer together and help us visualise a shared cultural identity.

The Carnival is the culmination of a year-long community links-building process that encourages people of the South, especially children and youth, to cross boundaries and collaborate with each other’s schools, clubs and churches. Around 1500 people from all over the valley join in the colourful parade and stageshow, including minstrels and marimba bands, gumboot dancers and gospel singers, break dancers and belly dancers. The Carnival takes place annually on the first Saturday of December.

The eMzantsi Carnival project, administered by Section 21 NPO the Harlequin Foundation, is a dynamic multi-faceted initiative that seeks to enhance:

· Intercultural and intracultural integration
· Youth and social development
· Reconciliation and diversity awareness
· Environmental and recycling awareness
· Awareness around current challenges to local youth: HIV/AIDS, drugs, xenophobia
· Pride in the south peninsula

The eMzantsi dream for 2010 is to take advantage of the World Cup spotlight on South Africa to extend our youth exchange programme to international footballing nations who also celebrate carnival, such as Brazil and the UK. We also aim to expand the Carnival route to include the whole of southern peninsula from Muizenberg to Chapman’s Peak. The road is closed once a year for runners and for cyclists, why not once for dancing children celebrating their heritage?!

The Labyrinth as part of the eMzantsi carnival …

In 2005 there was an awesome Labyrinth of the Community collaboration between the Arts Vibrations hiphop troupe of Ocean View and the Ilitha Lomso drama group of Masiphumelele. The youth were guided by labyrinth creator Clare Wilson of Kommetjie and choreographer/directors Ingrid Askew and Myrna Munchus-Bullock, American residents of Muizenberg, to create a performance including singing, dancing and firedance.

In 2006, a labyrinth of South African healing herbs and flowers was created by Grade 6 learners from Kleinberg and Marine Primary Schools from Ocean View.

In 2008 the cross-connected communities dubbed North, South, East and West created ropes from the fabric of factory reel-ends in the colours of the rainbow. Each team then carried their ropes in the parade with many applying both functional and aesthetic uses. The labyrinth as a rainbow became complete only when all the communities had arrived and placed their ropes onto the lines of the Reconciliation Labyrinth which had been premarked on the grass. And then the games began …

23 September 2008