Erste
GrünKultur Projektreise nach Mpumalanga!
The first GreenCulture projects in Mpumalanga took part from the 25th
of March to the 16th of April 2005. Helena Arendt (artist, Specialist
Advisor) held many workshops and qualification seminars together with the
well-known South African artist Mmapula Makabo Helen Sebidi and John
Mkhwanazi; artist, who works on the GreenCulture
projects in Mpumalanga. We started our trip in Marapyane, a
small village north of Johannesburg. By doing this, we did exactly
what M. Sebidi had expressed as being the philosophy of this project:
A project has to start and develop from the countryside. Even the Easter holidays
did not keep the enthusiastic participants from coming to the workshops; sometimes
covering long distances. We were very touched by so much enthusiasm and participation!
Marapyane has now become a location for the GreenCulture
project! Another one is Mhluzi.
Our trip went on to Mhluzi/ Middelburg. Together with our three partner
schools there, we experienced 10 days filled with joyful work in the newly established
dye workshop at the Ekwazini school.
Students, teachers, and local artists participated in producing African colours.
Similar to the idea of "Something Out of Nothing", we created a brilliant yellow
from African marigold (a plant that grows at the roadside) and wonderful greens
from garnet peel (pomegranate). Researches about native dye plants, and the
production of dye and colourings were very successful. First products will be
shown in an exhibition in August 2005 at Middelburg city hall.
You will see art works, such as greeting cards, bags and caps, coloured and
adorned with self-made colours. The results of a land art project (as
an example for creative environmental education) can be seen and purchased on
postcards, soon! Three dye gardens are currently set up at the schools. A 4th
garden, with the size of two hectares, will be the basis of a new community
project, serving as a dye and vegetable garden.
Towards the end of our trip, we visited a third GreenCulture
location: the community project Thembalethu. Thanks to the cooperation
of Simone Bechtel (German Development Service, Promotion of Civil Society)
and Lillian Masilela (South African National NGO Coalition) we experienced
a wonderfully crowded and enthusiastic workshop in the Eastern part of Mpumalanga
as well. Here, the results and ideas of GreenCulture
can be used for "job creation". At the end of our project trip we could harvest
and enjoy the fruits of our labour: we had a meeting with governmental representatives
and were able to introduce the goals and results of GreenCulture.
The recognition for this work was huge: a GreenCulture
group was created at an intergovernmental level that works under the wings of
the Department for Education in Mpumalanga. This group has elaborated
a proposal for the development of GreenCulture,
that was sent to the German Land government.
Intercultural
Environment Education
A first example for intercultural environment education in Mpumalanga
was the photo project <24 hours<. This is a project that brings together environmental
education and One World work: Our life, production, and consumption habits in
the North influence the life and future of all people. This is also shown clearly
in the 50 Visual Diaries that were created in Mpumalanga and that can
be borrowed as an exhibition and education material, soon.
