And she was wearing trousers: a call to our heroines brings into focus some of the many women who defined, defied or described Southern African culture from the seventeenth century to today through a series of premieres and new commissions. Installations, film, performance and conversations unearth often-forgotten feminists, exploring ideas of identity, connection, distance and self. The forms of inquiry taken here are as diverse as the experiences of the women behind them. Working from archives across independent publishers, oral histories, public and private, the academy and the internet, the women Brenda Fassie, Dorothy Masuka, Krotoa, Thenjiwe Lesabe, Queen Lozikeyi and figures alike have served as catalysts into an imagined world by which hope, loss, love and determination are explored.
From the curators
Roberta Joy Rich and Naomi Velaphi
Archives that speak of copper wire, liberation, teachers, linguists and queens, of women who we should know but don’t know, are constructed through colonised frames and histories. The title, translated from lyrics of Dorothy Masuka’s song ‘Nolishwa,’ And she was wearing trousers reimagines the possibilities of African heroines in Southern African history through a series of exchanges of text and dialogue between Southern African artists; between those living on the continent and those from the diaspora. How do we hear of them? What do we learn from them?
A culmination of a series of conversations with women of the African diaspora and those on the continent, we examine how female figures in Southern African histories can serve as entry points into reimagining a Bla(c)k female experience in the past and future. These women are often framed as contentious, yet their contributions to society are influential, equivocal and are important African women’s voices to platform, share and learn from. The power of interpretation and nuance creates a space for tension, discovery and continuity and allows us to creatively explore our relationships with these women, and the proximity we share with them.
Installation photos by Jody Haines.
Catalogue Essay
Santilla Chingaipe
Fabrication and Installation
Sarah Garrecht
To get in contact please email naomivelaphi@gmail.com or roberta.joy.rich@gmail.com
Inspired by the staunch storytelling and powerful activism of Dorothy Masuka, Noli dedicates a homage to the original song ‘Nolishwa’. As a multi-channel sound installation, my vocals are layered alongside an original beat, as sound portraits with varying compositions.
The soundscape is inspired by my love of dark electronica and polyrhythmic drum patterns. The lyrics include a reprise of the original chorus, a new interpretation of the story of a woman who was gossiped about for her free and strong will. Noli is an inspiration to let a bitch be free.
Multi-channel sound installation with five speakers. Dimensions variable. Duration: 04:37.
Installation views of Noli at Arts House, 2022.
Sound support: Marco Cher Gibard.
Rara Zulu is a musician with a wholesome rawness and a unique tendency to pull you into a state of vulnerability through her music. Her sound is heavily influenced by soul, R’n’B and hip hop; made apparent in the rhythm and depth in her voice. Rara has performed in numerous venues across Sydney and Melbourne, and has musically collaborated and supported national and international artists such as Ijale, Horatio Luna, Elle Shimada and Sibusile Xaba.