Decolonization

The Goethe-Institut Namibia's advocacy for decolonization is expressed in their support for collaborative projects with local artists, scholars, and activists that have fostered critical interaction and encouraged a sense of agency, especially among the younger generation, with the goal of building a more inclusive and equitable society. Our continued investment in memory work, discussions, and decolonization efforts serves as a testament to our dedication to advocating for a brighter and reconciled future.

Plattform für Begegnungen am Goethe-Institut Namibia

„MAN OF WAR: LEAVE MY HOUSE" (2023) steht im Zusammenhang mit einer neuen Welle dekolonialer Kunst und intersektionalen Aktivismus in Namibia. Diese verkörperte Erinnerungsarbeit zielt darauf ab, Fragen im Zusammenhang mit Geschichte und Erinnerung zu beleuchten und ist ein Kontrapunkt zur staatlich sanktionierten Memorialisierung. Wie kann man auf problematische Denkmäler reagieren? Was bedeutet es, gemeinsam neue Rituale und öffentliche Räume zu entwerfen? Die symbolische Konfrontation mit dem kolonialen Denkmal von Curt von François in Windhoek am Tag seiner Entfernung am 23. November 2022, "Man of War" - geschaffen von den in Namibia geborenen Künstler*innen GIFT UZERA, NICOLA BRANDT und MUNINGANDU HOVEKA - ist Teil eines umfassenderen Versuchs, traumatische Hinterlassenschaften aufzuarbeiten, die mit dem deutschen Kolonialismus und der Apartheid, aber auch mit intersektioneller Gewalt im Zusammenhang mit zeitgenössischem Patriarchat und Identitätspolitik verbunden sind. In diesen Kontexten bieten queere und feministische Ansätze einen Ausgangspunkt für diese verkörperte Erinnerungsarbeit in einem Versuch, über koloniale und tribale Hinterlassenschaften und nationalisierte Identitätspolitik hinauszugehen.

Premiere and Discussion

© Berlinale At the Goethe-Institut Windhoek, Lars Kraume's "Der vermessene Mensch" celebrated its Namibian premiere on March 1st 2023. The film, first introduced at the Berlinale in 2023, sheds light on Germany's crimes against the Hereros and Namas from 1904-1908. The screening attracted an impressive audience of nearly 500 viewers, with the subsequent discussion taking a reconciliatory tone. Praise came from both the Herero community and media representatives, including DER SPIEGEL and a ZDF team.
For the premiere, producer Thomas Kufus, director Lars Kraume, leading actors Leonard Scheicher and Girley Charlene Jazama, as well as numerous crew members from the 2021 shoots in Swakopmund and Windhoek, were present. Over 2,000 Namibians contributed to the film, which highlights an often overlooked chapter of German colonial history and brings attention to the skulls still housed in German museums.
However, beyond revisiting history, it was also the "spirit of reconciliation" that took center stage. Through cultural co-productions, like this film, a narrative bridge is built between the past and present. They provide a platform to address challenging topics and collaboratively process them artistically. As it was aptly put by an audience member: "Enemies in front of the camera, friends behind it.

Premiere and Discussion

© Goethe-Institut “A Namibian noir that blends the mystic with historical Perivi Katjavivi plays with modern identity and colonial legacies as ancient symbols haunt the present, driving the narrative to a twist that explores the traumatic past through a re-envisaged lens.” – IFFR
Starring Girley Jazama (also in “Measures of Men”), Roya Diehl, Dawie Engelbrecht and David Ndjavera, "Under the Hanging Tree" had its Namibia premiere on 31.08.23 and can be seen daily at 20.00 at the Ster Kinekor Cinema in the Grove Mall until 06.09.23. The premiere and accompanying initiatives were supported by the Goethe-Institut Namibia.. In this context, weorganized a masterclass for up-and-coming Namibian filmmakers, with insights from director Perivi Katjavivi and Rotterdam Film Festival's Ms. Lyse Nsengyumva.