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The African Indigenous Renaissance project (AIR) has been launched in Plettenberg Bay in a bid to ensure indigenous cultures, practices and art not only remain relevant, but also profitable.
The project will see 16 aspiring artists equipped with skills to thrive in the region’s tourism industry through a series of masterclasses by the likes of UCT ethnomusicology department head Professor Dizu Plaatjies and cultural expert Geoffrey Tracey.
Cape Town Arts Festival chief executive Yusuf Ganief said AIR launched on January 20, and would continue until March 20 to educate and uplift local artists hoping to grow in the industry.
“More than just a skills development initiative, the AIR project is a significant cultural milestone.
“It honours the legacy of three generations of African music pioneers, the Tracey family, whose work has influenced the preservation and celebration of indigenous African music,” Ganief said.
“Geoffrey Tracey, who has a rich background in both African and Western music, has lectured at Rhodes University, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.
“He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience passed down by his grandfather Hugh Tracey and father Andrew Tracey, both giants in the field of African music scholarship.”
Plaatjies is a well-known cultural leader and lover of arts who is originally from Lusikisiki.
He is known for his contribution towards sustaining, preserving and celebrating the culture of the Amampondo.
Ganief presented his idea to the Bitou council in April 2024 with the intention to bring a festival to the region that would educate artists about business, and equip them with skills and advanced knowledge of the rich culture of each instrument they would be playing.
“The classes will teach the artist about planning a festival, too, and understanding the administration and the work that comes with planning — not just to perform but to be part of the greater vision,” Ganief said.
The Herald
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