You Better Say Our Names: Episode 1, Healing Continued, Duduzile LS Mathonsi

Inspired by ‘Afropresentism’, a term coined by Neema Githere, Yaa Addae has created a guided meditation for transmitting care using the technology of imagination and digital love. Addae bridges physical distance and shows up for her loved ones around the world. From her DIY recording booth, Addae generously brings us peace, love and care in her guided meditation, 'Sending Love 101'.

‘You Better Say Our Names: The Podcast’ is the first collaboration in the OCA project ‘You Better Say Our Names. Working towards pluricultural futures’. It is a co-curation between OCA and the digital platform YPPĒ on a series of recordings and a trilogy of personal stories with textual and performative contributions by Duduzile Mathonsi, Minna Salami, and Yaa Addae. Read the texts on yppe.no and listen to the episodes on oca.no

Addae’s episode is followed by a discussion on its significance between Itzel Esquivel from OCA and Ro Averin from Rafiki Art Initiatives, which houses YPPĒ. The sound intro of the episodes is a contribution called ‘Knirk’ by musician Victoria Nunes Finstad.

Hosted by Itzel Esquivel and Ro Averin

Produced by Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), 2023

Music contribution by Victoria Nunes Finstad

Minna Salami’s essay 'What has not been noticed before. On the African Village and Modernity' invites us to reflect on the notion of the African Village as a metaphysical concept and the danger of constructing simple narratives shaped from hegemonic and Europatriarcal perspective that reinforces stereotypes. Salami introduces us to the phrase 'writer’s grievance' to accurately describe how narrating the continent via the Western gaze distorts the experience of writing and thinking about Africa. Salami’s essay challenges the deeply rooted Western knowledge in order to imagining alternative ways of co-existence.

‘You Better Say Our Names: The Podcast’ is the first collaboration in the OCA project ‘You Better Say Our Names. Working towards pluricultural futures’. It is a co-curation between OCA and the digital platform YPPĒ on a series of recordings and a trilogy of personal stories with textual and performative contributions by Duduzile Mathonsi, Minna Salami, and Yaa Addae. Read the texts on yppe.no and listen to the episodes on oca.no

Salami’s episode is followed by a discussion on its significance between Itzel Esquivel from OCA and Ro Averin from Rafiki Art Initiatives, which houses YPPĒ. The sound intro of the episodes is a contribution called ‘Knirk’ by musician Victoria Nunes Finstad.

Hosted by Itzel Esquivel and Ro Averin

Produced by Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), 2023

Music contribution by Victoria Nunes Finstad

Additional recording of Minna Salami by fx:one Audio Produktionen

For Duduzile Mathonsi, a trip to her homeland and the everyday experience of taking the bus reaffirmed her roots and gave renewed clarity to her experiences living in Norway; involving blackness, white privilege, personal healing and how “joy as an act of resistance” can resonate with others in the diaspora.

‘You Better Say Our Names: The Podcast’ is the first collaboration in the OCA project ‘You Better Say Our Names. Working towards pluricultural futures’. It is a co-curation between OCA and the digital platform YPPĒ on a series of recordings and a trilogy of personal stories with textual and performative contributions by Duduzile Mathonsi, Minna Salami, and Yaa Addae. Read the texts on yppe.no

In this, the first episode, we present Duduzile Mathonsi’s story Healing Continued, from which we found the inspiration for the title of the series; and discus its significance between Itzel Esquivel from OCA and Ro Averin from Rafiki Art Initiatives, which houses YPPĒ. The sound intro of the episodes is a contribution called “Knirk” by musician Victoria Nunes Finstad.

Hosted by Itzel Esquivel and Ro Averin. Produced by Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), 2023. Music contribution by Victoria Nunes Finstad