From the Kwasa Kwasa to the Gwara Gwara, South Africa has always known how to move. It seems natural that a platform like TikTok would only amplify our incurable groove fever. TikTok has amassed an immense amount of dance challenges but it would be imprudent to ignore the fact that they are fleeting. For this…
The category is… Ballroom! Fashion, drama, family, VOGUE. The ballroom scene has taken the world by storm, infiltrating pop culture and laying the foundation for the mainstream. Originating in New York City, ballroom emerged within African American and Latino communities with the intention of creating a celebratory space for LGBTQ+ individuals who had been ostracised…
If an accordion player bellows a melody in Serbia, could the vibration cause a vocalist in Nairobi to sing? Enter Timezones, a podcast series exploring diverse worlds and practices of artists in different contexts. Through epic long-form offerings, time is textured and space bent with a series of episodes that are both informational preambles and…
In honor of women’s month earlier this year, waf. released the eagerly awaited waf. Babes capsule. The basis for the construction of the capsule was the lack of institutional and social support for femme and marginalised skaters, which we observed and were made aware of by marginalised skaters in the community. We decided to take…
On the violence that continued; “On June 17, I watched as bodies were dragged out of what had been a shopping centre on the Old Patch Road. I saw figures running out of the shop, some carrying goods. They ran across the veld like wild animals, dropping like bags as bullets hit them. I saw…
DJ sets have become increasingly popular over the past couple of years, often determining the marketability of multiple tracks and thus placing DJs as key changemakers within the music industry. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the East African scene, a steadily growing music hub, has developed a DJ culture of its own. Notoriously…
First Thursdays can be seen as an evening that allows people to congregate in different spaces and share ideas while being surrounded by some of the best music of our generation as well as generations past. 99 Juta, Braamfontein, has over the past year created a space that seeks to uplift creatives while also providing…
In an exclusive interview with Bubblegum Club, Zoë Modiga, a formidable force in the field of South African music opened up about her affinity for the feminine energy, which resonates through her musical oeuvre. A KwaZulu Natal native, Modiga spoke of her participation in the upcoming uMama Mother’s Day concert, set to take place at…
Woodcraft holds a strong presence in many communities and cultures around the world. For the people of Zafimaniry, which is a community in the southeast highlands of Madagascar, woodwork is not only a central practice among the people but is deeply embedded in their culture, livelihoods and belief systems. Quentin Clemence and Alice Weil founded…
On March 21 2023, Uganda passed a bill that targeted the rights of LGBTQIA+ Ugandans. The anti-gay bill, which would further criminalise same-sex relationships and sex work was proposed in May 2021 by the Ugandan parliament. Ugandan lawmakers wanted to impose the death penalty for so-called “aggravated homosexuality.” I had a virtual conversation with social…
Five Films for Freedom promotes rarely heard LGBTQIA+ stories from around the world, and makes them accessible to a global audience, particularly for people living in cultures where they cannot live or love as they would like to. People can support this campaign through the hashtag #FiveFilmsForFreedom to drive home the message that love is…
From waf. & ALÁRA to Africa with love, welcome to the beginning of what are to be questions, statements and theories encouraging us to (re)narrate our stories and journeys with love on the African continent. African Love is a waf. & ALÁRA multimedium fashion campaign that draws from the African continent’s relationship with clothing, tradition,…
