As we see more and more social justice movements rise while facing a pandemic, the fight for decolonization continues worldwide. People experience moments of fear, anger, and loneliness, but we also create space for healing, resilience and empowerment. Connecting with ourselves, with each other, and with our ancestors becomes a practice to rewrite our histories together. In this workshop, we invite you to engage with ritualistic acts to develop your personal understanding of ancestry.

Performance artist Fazle Shairmahomed and poet/decolonial scholar Zuleika Sheik will take you on a multi-sensorial journey from the moment you enter the space, including a writing ritual, and screening of the short film UMAD, which is an artistic visualization of the spiritual journey of decolonization for four artists of Suriname-Hindustani descent. This will be followed by a group conversation, and closed off with poetry by Zuleika Sheik.

About the short film UMAD: Decolonizing Rituals

In UMAD (Hindi: emotional overflow) you witness the spiritual journey of decolonization of four artists of Surinamese-Hindustani descent. They negotiate with histories of forced labor migration and colonialism, the erasure of cultures they belong to, cultures they have come to belong to, and the oppressive systems which continue to exist today. All of them have been touched by the Dutch colonial project, but have been shaped differently through their personal experiences in life through religion, gender, and sexuality, which becomes visible through their authentic visions on decolonization and healing.

Programme in English

Credits

Artists: Fazle Shairmahomed, Taskien Khudabux, Anima Jhagroe-Ruissen, Rubaina Bhikhie
Film and edit: Tanja Busking
Sound: Marlon Penn
Research and development: Zuleika Sheik
Photography: Milan Tettero