The Chairman characterises itself as “a sophisticated world-class jazz bar that stimulates the imagination and bends all rules and conventions”.
Part indoor, part outdoor, with quirky decor. Part art project, part social experiment, part restaurant and bar.
It is a re-imagined space in which today’s programme – which focuses on re-imagining power – can unfold. Russell Hlongwane will engage attendees in departing from recurrent narratives and default modes of engagement.
It’s a project by DGIT: a young Durban architecture firm that saw an opportunity to design a work of art in “potentially the best urban precinct in KZN: Mahatma Gandhi Rd”.
The R150 admission fee is deducted from your bill at the end of the night. The dress code is strict and the menu is top-class.
Surrender Your Booty is the signature cocktail.
Pre-session
Today’s session will focus on navigation. Russell Hlongwane titles it Umkhombandlela: a Zulu phrase meaning “to show the way”. Umlahlankosi – a plant from the South Coast – has been brought in by Russell Hlongwane to facilitate the contract the animateur will expect the participants to make with and among themselves.
The plant is used in a traditional Zulu ceremony to bring a recently deceased spirit from its place of death back to the family fold.
Niamh Walsh-Vorster reminds Hlongwane that not all have been invited to Power Talks to challenge power. Some represent the power that needs challenging.
Hlongwane demonstrates some of the liberties that can be taken in black-owned spaces with his choice of music. Robert Glasper ushers the guests into a lushly prepared interaction space lined with antique furniture.
In-session
Numbers don’t appear to have dwindled from yesterday.
Hlongwane gets a feel for the room by asking for brief introductions of name and profession. Some don’t comply. Niamh notes that all the white women appear to be going first.
Ndabo Langa – the owner of the establishment – introduces himself as an architect.
Someone who wasn’t at the provocation session has heard it reported that yesterday’s sessions were strange: neither good nor bad but strange.
A white male requests that the locus of power be mapped out for him.
A white lady wants to hear about the struggle of artists.
Hlongwane is having trouble wrangling participants who are set on dominating the space. Some have spoken 3-4 times before the tea-break while others have only introduced themselves.
Hlongwane switches deliberately and interchangeably between English nesiZulu.
Today’s session is slower. It almost feels like the Reflecteur session after yesterday’s discomfort. Will there be sufficient energy for the third and last session?
Hlongwane plays an audio clip replete with the use of the N-word. Some hide in their notebooks, others walk out. The watchfulness in the room is palpable.
“What can Durban do with its parochial, small-town energy?” – Hlongwane relates this question to what it means to be small-scale.
“Think of ways to generate value without rands and cents.” – Hlongwane
Tea-break
In a brief chat with Hlongwane, I ask how he thinks the session is going: “Where do we go from here?” He answers with a furrowed brow.
“We are in the meat of the conversation.” – Tea-time comment
Post-tea Prompts
What are the limiting narratives we need to bury as DBN practitioners?
How can we build a thriving ecosystem?
What will we make for ourselves?
What do we do with today’s ideas?
Hlongwane breaks the room up into 4 groups. “Please sit with people you haven’t interacted with,” instructs the animateur.
Even the Gugu Wifi representative takes centre stage in a group of his own choosing.
“I know I’m terrible and disorganised, but when I get into my shit, I get into my shit.” – Hlongwane buzzing on group interaction.
“If you don’t wanna spend the rest of the afternoon here, we have to come back.” – Hlongwane after allowing a 2-minute grace period for groups to wrap up discussion.
The band waits in the wings, smoking cigarettes while Hlongwane sets the stage for group-sharing.
“I don’t think we’ve confronted the power in this room.” – Hlongwane
Echoing Hlongwane, “Where do we go from here?” asks the band in the chorus?
Group Insights
“Comparing DBN to other cities reveals insecurity.” – Group 1
“Government has failed abjectly to provide outputs for the DBN cultural economy.” – Group 1
“It is healthy to go out then return to DBN.” – Group 1
“Potentially DBN is living the dream already, but it may take idiots from without for us to realise this” – Group 2
“There’s a lot of getting out of the way that older generations need to do.” – Group 3
“People don’t step down. They often need to be kicked out.” – Hlongwane on dysfunctional institutions.
“These institutions are dysfunctional by design, therefore they are functioning.” – comment from the floor.
DUT bears the brunt of negativity as the prime example of a dysfunctional institution.
“We need to bury power today.” – Group 4
“How do we subvert instead of undermine?” – Comment from the floor.
“DBN is a crack in the asphalt from which life grows.” – Comment from the floor.
