We are working in partnership with some, Local, National and International Charity organizations in UGANDA and in DR.Congo,This is the case of:

• Human Rights House/Uganda
• MONUSCO: United Missions in DR.Congo
• IDUKA Coorporation
• (International Student Organization)
• Parliament of Children/DRC
• Unicef /DRC
• Aid Medical –DRC

What is the “My Body, My Dance!” Program?

When PEPA and Sustain-Able (Yu) decided to work together on the board of IProtest Arts Charity, we discussed ways we can incorporate some of the discussions we had during the Inspiring Women Summit 2012 . Initially I thought we could just work with the Nobel Women’s iniative’s “End Rape in conflict” campaign. But as I looked at the details of how much PEPA already had in terms of sustainable cultural local community buy-ins, I decided to go back to what I KNOW works best and that is simply: Ask what is needed and then see what can be done about facilitating it.

This meant:

-no top-down external campaigns where no matter how PC one tried to be, it always turns into too much Anglo-white world telling Black Africa what to do. This is unfortunate but it is the social reality of the history between the Anglo world and Africa. WE must all live with the burden of our predescessors choices in history. Failing to do so, would dishonour our missions more.

- I did not see the method being all that different to the methodology of globalisation and corporatisation. Of course from a top-down UN and UNICEF perspective this made strategic sense. But after looking at the specific circumstances, I did not find it a good use of the 30 NGO clusters time to fill in endless bureacratic reports and feasibilities. Why not do it the chinese-african way? Get it done and stop theorising about whether it will work or not. Just try it out first and slowly the correct organic strategy will emerge because the wisdom, the education and the local knowledge are already in place.  So in that respect, we are in complete agreement with what the Nobel Laureate Jody Williams & Lynne Twist talked about, ” Sometimes people think it takes a lot to get anything done but most of the time you just have to be willing to go out there, start something and then figure it out along the way.”

But where I distinguish PEPA-Sustainable Yu collaboration is that we are highly educated Gen-X & Yers from Asia and Africa, we KNOW the value of traditions. We know that the last thing the situation needs in the long sustain-able term of the word is an imported solution. Technological assistance is always welcome, other kinds of technology based resources will be valued and appreciated. But when it comes to dealing with the human psyches and what HEALING is about. Yes, we are talking about “healing”; not just for the women in the congo who had been victims of rape as a weapons of war but for the entire human dignity and sanity of ALL those whose lives had been connected directly or indirectly to such atrocities, HEALING must come from a deep root in the Sustainability of the culture.

There was a turning point in our dialogue where PEPA and Sustain-Able (Yu) became in total agreement, that we are going to just get started with the idea of “dance for your sanity!”…lets just start with the message of: Your dignity is your own. Your body is your own. Your Dance is an expression of both individuality, collective confidence in LIFE and an affirmation of a better time.

Dance is universal and the music of africa had influenced SO MANY world music and western music, it became a natural “Tao” for us to see if there’s any innovation in bringing together the incredible and rare traditional dances of the Congo with Ska music! So we experimented with a first video just to test out the idea and it is very joyful and life-affirming. It is not a case of West telling Africa what to do or stereotyping about Black people because

Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento,  calypso with American jazzand rhythm and blues.

It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat. In the early 1960s, ska was the dominant music genre of Jamaica and was popular with British mods. Later it became popular with many skinheads.

***Which we found EXTRA FANTASTIC and IRONIC in 2012, that we take a music by black power, favored by white RACISTS back to Africa to empower the very people who had been victims of hatred and violence! RAPE is not a sex crime, RAPE is a WEAPON for Violence! The Women in the Congo know what their traditional cultures are and we are mixing in some new sounds just to see if they like it? Traditional and Innovation! That is the TRANSFORMATIVE UNIVERSAL POWER OF THE ARTS!

-We just want to emphasize that this is not some program to cosmetically address the issues of healing for those who were victims of rape in conflict. Our program will work with practical healings such as sustainable livihoods, medical help, advocating the needs of the children and the elderly in the community along with the need for women to be given the “circle of peace & safety” to heal. PEPA’s cluster of NGO have the mechanisms in place.

It is a time to stop going to endless conferences and “talk, talk, talk”. It is a time to just “do, dance, do”…a time …not to “give permission” but to encourage “taking of power” back….a time where human dignity is as vital as water, food, shelter and medical care…..a time to cry, a time to laugh again and a time to DANCE.

Because in the Dance that we are encouraging the women in the Congo to do, we are not the spectators nor the audiences…we are the “witnesses” to the absolute irrefutable fact that the ladies will be saying: “My body, MY DANCE! I choose to dance and I can choose to not dance…but whatever I choose, it will be for me and all the women like me.”

4 Comments on “CONGO, Africa: “My Body, My Dance!” : iProtest and PEPA cultural collaboration for victims of Rape in Conflict!”

1. Appolinaire ZAGABE

   May 28, 2012

   

   Thank you Cecilia for page, it’s really wonderful , On behalf of PEPA ,IPROTEST and my self I say thank you for supporting and implimenting this project in Congo,

   As many women of Congo are traumatized of worse situation of rape, I believe this initiative will consolidate them.
   This is more rebuilding a new mind in Congolese women to forget the hard moment crossed and still crossing of sexual violence.

   My request to all friends, readers, organizations,compagnies, Musicians to Support PEPA trough IPROTEST by promoting and encouraging Cultural dance in the DR.Congo.

   Stop rape in DR.Congo by giving and doing what you can to promote this program.
   Just Contact IPROTEST or PEPA for more Information.
   Thanks.

   Reply
   • ceciliawyu

     June 5, 2012

     

     I look foward to seeing the results of this program, lets get started and deal with the Nobel Women Initiative Later! lets not fluff around waiting for the UN! hahahaha. zzz. (CC)

     Reply

2. Pingback: Iprotest by dancing with pride, confidence and a sense of tradition…My body, my dance! « Sustain-Able 余 : Cecilia's Blog

3. Pingback: PEPA L’humanitaire, “my body, my dance” programme for victims of Rape in Conflict. | Iprotest Arts Charity

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