There are usually grumbles about how Africa doesn’t tell its stories enough, with the rest of the world being the narrators of what’s happening on the continent.
“Storytelling is not just about remembering where we come from, it’s about shaping where we are going,” said CEO of Thrive Afrika and Founder of Afrotellers, Willson Chivhanga.
To strengthen the ecosystem of African storytellers, The Afrotellers Conference returns to Johannesburg for its second edition this week.
“Across the continent, we are seeing a new generation using stories to confront injustice, reframe history, and imagine futures rooted in dignity,” said Chivhanga.
The three-day gathering is set to take place at the Market Theatre Precinct, Market Square, and the Wits University School of Arts from Thursday to Saturday.
The Afrotellers Conference is convened by social impact agency Thrive Afrika, in partnership with the Wits School of Arts and the Market Theatre Foundation.
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Connecting communities through stories
According to Chivhanga, the conference is a space for African storytellers to reclaim ownership of their narratives and speak about the continent, its people and its possibilities on their own terms.
“Afrotellers is a growing movement. It does not end when the doors close; rather it’s an ecosystem that connects communities through their stories,” said the founder.
The first edition of the conference saw more than 130 participants from across Africa and the diaspora.
Afrotellers has grown into a continental movement connecting artists, activists and thinkers through community storytelling hubs in Malawi, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, DR Congo, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
“From village gatherings to urban collectives, we are seeing a shared language of resistance, creativity and care emerging across Africa,” Chivhanga said.
This year’s edition will build on the foundation that was laid in the previous year by exploring storytelling as infrastructure – shaping how Africans imagine themselves, relate to one another and influence how the continent is perceived globally.
Some of the speakers for this year’s Afrotellers include playwright and scholar Dr Refiloe Lepere, Zimbabwean political organiser Gift Ostallos Siziba, visual activist Prof. Sir Zanele Muholi, Ugandan philanthropy leader Jackie Asiimwe, playwright and director Monageng ‘Vice’ Motshabi and photographer Andrew Tshabangu.
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