26 July 2007
The Pale Ya Rona Carnival has become an important social and cultural event
in the Gauteng calendar. The Carnival was launched in 2005 under the theme
"telling our story or ours to tell." The Pale Ya Rona Carnival creates an
environment that allows for mass participation programmes. These programmes
facilitate talent identification and development and therefore address nation
building and social cohesion. It furthermore succeeds in positioning Gauteng as
the undisputed Home of Champions.
Carnival has the power to build communities. It has the capacity to cross
boundaries and create a rejuvenated sense of community. The empowering capacity
of the Carnival event is that it provides otherwise marginalised groups and
individuals with opportunities to express themselves creatively, to interact
with other creative individuals and entities and to perform and thus be seen
and heard for perhaps, the first time.
Carnival provides a forum for the exploration and expression of multiple
cultural histories and identities. It provides a contemporary sense of place.
The Pale Ya Rona Carnival has the power to become a major symbol for Gauteng.
Through this process the socio-cultural transformation in contemporary South
Africa can be linked to other Carnivals across the world.
Carnival is a flagship for a range of cultural forms. It combines both the
performing and visual arts in one of the largest participatory showcases
possible. It is a celebration of the collective identity and memory in which
life and art are entwined. Carnival is used globally, as a celebration of
history by communities. It is also used to by these communities to re-invent
and re-image themselves by building on the traditions and the stories of the
past. Carnival has become a creative and colourful way for communities to voice
their social and artistic aspirations. Such creative expression often also
reaps economic benefits.
Gauteng Provincial Government has recognised the potential of Carnival to
transform lives and local economies. Over the preceding years the Pale Ya Rona
Carnival has demonstrated the capacity to combine the arts, skills development
and confidence-building in communities across Gauteng. Over the forthcoming
years we will endeavour to harness the potential economic impact of the
Carnival. We also aim to utilise the potential of Carnival as a key driver for
creative industries skills development. The Carnival process provides the
perfect platform for skills development, as it introduces a myriad of new
opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds who might not otherwise engage
in a creative discipline.
Carnival incorporates the application of a diverse range of creative
industries skills from costume design and manufacture to the technicalities of
putting a sound system 'on the road.' The Pale Ya Rona Carnival implementation
plan includes a large scale skills transfer programme that aims to develop a
pool of skilled Carnival artists. Creative skills such as fashion and theatre
are developed through Carnival. Carnival also has the potential for a range of
creative industries sectors to add value to (and learn from) the Carnival
process. Activities range from the highly specialised (such as wire-bending for
costumes), to the basic (such as sticking sequins on a costume).
Through the production of the Pale Ya Rona spectacle, youth from diverse
backgrounds receive training in pattern-cutting, event management, circus
skills and product design. Each of these activities provides a gateway into the
creative industries sector. Over the preceding three years the Carnival has
demonstrated the power to inspire our communities. The Carnival process has
been instrumental in facilitating creative skills development for many
individuals who might otherwise lack opportunities to pursue careers in the
creative industries or to even consider options that were previously beyond
their horizons.
The Pale Ya Rona Carnival roll out plan seeks to maximise community
development and participation allowing communities of Gauteng to develop a
Carnival which reflects their perception of a truly South African or Gauteng
experience. The programme is broad based and decentralised.
The programmes cornerstone is regional participation ensured by
representation from all the metro and district municipalities. Participants are
drawn from across the province. Groups are auditioned and selected to ensure
regional identities that add to the flamboyance of the final parade.
The vision is that each local government will host a community Carnival such
as the one hosted by the City of Johannesburg in Hillbrow. These carnivals will
in turn develop strong troupes that are distinct from one another and act as
feeder events to the provincial Pale Ya Rona Carnival. It is hoped that by 2010
the Carnival and the related infrastructure will have developed into a premier
event of international standards.
To initiate this year's Carnival design and theme workshops were held in
each region in Gauteng. Participants conceptualised their regions themes
through brainstorming the stories that were important to their regions. They
then visualised how these could be interpreted in terms of a floats, head gear
and costumes.
This year's themes include:
* Meropa wa sechaba sa Jozi wa famba (The rhythm of Jozi community drums on
the move)
* Meshito ya Tshwane (The Rhythm of Tshwane)
* Kgoro ya Merafe (The nations entrance from Ekurhuleni)
* Segametsi mohloding (Water carrier from Sedibeng)
* Baepa Khumo (Diggers of the wealth from Westrand)
* Metswedi Tlhakanang (Streams Unite from Metsweding).
These initial designs and themes have been finalised by the design team into
designs for floats, large costumes and puppets. Dance, music and youth groups
from all the regions are currently participating in music making and
choreography workshops.
Months of hard work from community groups, artisans and artists from across
Gauteng culminates in the Carnival parade on Saturday, 8 September 2007. On
this date the streets of Jo'burg will transform into a frenzy of singing and
dancing as the Carnival takes to the streets infused with energy as revellers
sway along to the infectious rhythms of the many masquerades parading through
the city. Beginning at the National School of the Arts in Braamfontein the
parade proceeds down Melle Street, joining De Korte and before moving left into
Bertha Street, going over the Nelson Mandela bridge and turning right on Jeppe
Street and left on Mirriam Makeba before arriving at Blue IQ park.
As Pale Ya Rona Carnival develops into a major event on our cultural
calendar we are striving to ensure that it is marketed and branded to achieve
its tourism potential. With this year's event showcasing the Feast of Clowns,
Carnival Bikers, Jazz dancers and our traditional Hostel dancers, we hope that
private sponsors will be persuaded of the commercial benefits of the Carnival
and of the new markets they could be reached through investment in the
Carnival.
Moreover, it is important that potential sponsors are convinced of the need
to sponsor not just the event, but also the year-long preparations for
Carnival. Such sponsorships will assist in the ongoing production of Carnival
and provide sponsors with a year-long profile and an active year-long
market.
In March 2008 the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation will
also be hosting the International Carnival Conference. Delegates, experts and
trainers from across the globe will be gathering in Gauteng to share their
wealth of the Carnival knowledge. This will provide the province with another
opportunity to profile and market our Pale Ya Rona Carnival to an international
audience.
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng
Provincial Government
26 July 2007
