A return to Selby

Published on 16th October 2008 in Ents

'Many Musics, Many Dances, One People' - the motto of a breathtaking mix of musicians, dancers, actors and storytellers who collectively make up the acclaimed Zimbabwean arts collective Siyaya, who return to for a week long residency in Selby this month.

The artists will be visiting eight schools throughout the town, holding day long workshops with pupils and helping them to explore African dance, township theatre and the magic of the human voice, before bringing their brand new fourteen man show Onke Ose to the Town Hall on Friday, October 24, charting the rich and often turbulent history of their Zimbabwean homeland.

Social meets spiritual, politics meets humanity and history meets today to tell the story of Zimbabwe through song and dance, celebrating the greatest African instrument of all, the human voice.

With an infectious, positive vibe and energetic pace, the fourteen artists move from the first migrations of Africa's Shona and Ndebele tribes to the colonialism of Cecil Rhodes, from becoming British Rhodesia to Bob Marley's special visit at the hopeful time of independence through the competing role of multiple religions to today's problems of famine, drought and political oppression.

With miners' gumboot dances and hilarious township shebeen scenes, Siyaya's work is a moving, yet upbeat, portrayal of a country rich in heritage and still full of hope as they drive home in salutary fashion how so much African culture expressing the indomitable spirit of ordinary people has you swinging in your seat, even when you know that times could not be harder for those creating it.

Town Council arts officer Chris Jones said: "Siyaya are utterly brilliant and should, without doubt, be prescribed on the NHS.

"The group enjoyed their rapturously received Selby debut back in 2006 so much that they wanted to come again for a whole week, and we're absolutely thrilled to have them.

"This is a great opportunity for so many people to experience the vibrant sights and sounds of a distant land on their own doorstep - I cannot recommend this show highly enough!"