National Arts Festival: A celebration of raw, authentic storytelling

 

Modise Sekgothe in Gabo Legwala. Picture: Mark Wessels

The National Arts Festival (NAF) is more than just a platform to perform; it’s a space for artists to present original work to their peers, to industry experts, and most importantly, to an audience eager to engage. Whether it’s theatre, poetry, comedy, or dance, the festival is a creative testing ground for the industry. It allows artists to say, “Here is my work, what do you think?” and to experience how their stories land in real-time.

This authenticity is what sets the festival apart. It’s not just fringe acts putting their craft to the test; even established artists return to the stage to gauge how their work resonates. There is something grounding and affirming about debuting a piece here at NAF, before taking it to bigger stages elsewhere. And this past weekend proved exactly that.

Take, for instance, the debut works of this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Award recipients. One standout was the exhibition Teaching In Ways That Teach Us To Care by Nyakallo Maleke.

The installation was unlike anything I’ve seen before; a raw, emotional, and technically intricate piece that combined a 40-meter baking sheet with found objects, delicate stitching, and collaborative steel installations.

Yes, baking paper. Paper so thin and fragile that stitching through it feels like a radical act, and yet, it held stories. Folded crisp packets, empty bottles, pebbles encased in plastic, each object deliberate, each symbol inviting interpretation. The installations, with their roots-like legs, evoke ideas of grounding, balance, and resilience. During a walkabout, audience members shared reflections, interpreting the legs as symbols of strength, rootedness, or even survival.

Bright threads and intricate details popped against the translucent sheet, reminding us of childhood, simplicity, and fragility. The entire piece gently nudged us toward introspection: about life, about endurance, and about finding light amid the challenges of modern living.

From visual art to spoken word, the festival continued to impress. Another 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award recipient, poet and musician Modise Sekgothe, delivered a stirring performance that blended poetry and music in a theatrical piece titled Ga bo Legwala, which explores themes of fatherlessness and masculinity in South Africa. 

In collaboration with musicians Yogin Sullaphen and Phumla Siyobi, Sekgothe delivered an immersive stage experience that captivated and wowed the audience. With percussion instruments, a guitar, a mini keyboard, and even metal dishes and cups turned into makeshift instruments, the soundscape was rich and layered. Sullaphen practically became a one-man orchestra, seamlessly blending recorded sound with live performance.

This theatrical work transported the audience to Sekgothe's childhood in Soweto as he reflected on masculinity, identity, and the challenges of growing up fatherless. His words, punctuated by haunting melodies and movement, gave a voice to boys raised by strong single mothers. His mother, always urging him to stay out of trouble, emerged as a powerful character in his narrative. The performance was deeply emotional, evoking themes of survival, memory, and longing.

Later, I attended the opening of the Eastern Cape Literature Festival, which felt more like an intimate and powerful workshop. Industry giants Dr John Kani and Dr Jerry Mofokeng took the stage to discuss the issues facing South African writers. The conversation, led by radio host and author Unathi Nkayi, was intense and thought-provoking, sparking deep reflection among the guests.

Kani, in particular, emphasised that books aren’t meant to collect dust; they are meant to be read. Whether it’s memoirs, novels, or plays, writers create for the people, not for archives. Audience members, many of whom were writers themselves, raised concerns about a lack of support in the publishing space. It was a critical discussion that highlighted both the beauty and the struggle of being a writer in South Africa today.

That wrapped up my day two at the festival, but there’s still so much more to see.

I’m especially excited about Road, a powerful dance piece by Oskido Buthelezi, and Salt by Cape Ballet Africa. I’m also hoping to catch some comedy shows and keep diving into the rich tapestry of performance this festival offers.

The National Arts Festival is currently underway across various venues in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, and runs until July 6.