Melbourne may be in the grips of Winter, those long grey months synonyms with our city. But over in North Melbourne, Arts House are turning up the heat with their current season, which continues to champion the unique and contemporary work that this venue is famous for.
Melbourne-based poet wāni Le Frère will be presenting his latest offering as part of this upcoming season. Through a lens that is both retrospective and current Tales of an Afronaut pays tribute to the incredible lineage of storytelling embedded deep within the black/African diaspora. TAGG spoke with Wāni about the performance, lineage, the power of words and the passing down of story through generations.
Wāni why poetry, and how does story telling sit within your culture, what is it’s strongest power?
I come from a long line of incredible story telling, from friends, family, grandparents through to both my mother and father, especially my father. Most of the lessons I’ve learnt in life have come through those stories weaved in as metaphors and proverbs, and all Im doing is continuing this living cultural tradition. I’ve always been fascinated by its ability to draw you in and speak truths to your being that you didn’t even know you were searching for. It’s like a transportation to a whole other space and time where only the present and current state matter and everything else is irrelevant in that particular moment except the moment itself
Talk to us about the performance, what does it entail, what has been the process behind creating the work?
Introspection and self analysis is a large part of not only the creation of my work, but the work itself. It’s basically to me like a window of my current state. I believe people are always growing or i’d like to imagine they are and the other part of inspiration is an acknowledgement of where I am by putting a permanent seal on that particular moment through poetry, in this case through spoken word. Also a deep desire to see the community I come from prosper and just be able to be awesome without having so many obstacles before them, so I try to make sure to find ways to leave the doors open behind me in spaces I’ve been given footing.
What are some of the challenges faced by writers and artists in 2017, Australia, do you think there is a lack appreciation for the form?
I can’t speak on challenges that face writers and artists in Australia because I don’t believe I represent all artists, but some of the challenges I’ve faced is finding spaces that de-centre whiteness, or patriarchal Eurocentricised ableist, heteronormative as the only ways of being and anything that fits outside of that is seen as foreign or unwelcomed. And that’s hard cos I’m still going through the process of unlearning all that myself. Also getting paid your worth, I’ve heard it’s tough as an artist from others but add being black African to the mix n it’s another story, an even in saying that I’m conscious that I’m one of the fortunate ones. N folk don’t want to believe it’s an actual issue. Is the art form respected, well for myself and the circles I navigate I think it absolutely is.
Finally, tell us about your hopes for this performance, and what do you hope will come next for your creative practice?
I hope people are able see more than just a performance, but window into a reality they may not be familiar to. I hope they leave feeling a bit more full than how they’d stepped in, I hope it touches them in some way, I think that’s the best I can hope for. As for my next creative project! I guess we’ll have to wait till next time to see.
Tales of an Afronaut opens Wednesday 26th of July, for more info or to book your tickets click here
