What better way to celebrate the ending of a year and the start of a new one than with a Carnival street procession through Jozi?
On the 31st December every year in Jozi, the City of Jo'burg hosts a Carnival with floats, performers and musicians, that parades through the streets of Hillbrow, through Braamfontein, across the Mandela Bridge and into Newtown. Many of the artists I have worked with for the past few years are involved in the creation and management of this event.
For the past 2 years, Caroline (my best friend) and I have taken part (unofficially) in this exciting event... our unofficial underground status gives us the freedom to arrive and join the parade anywhere we want, and to move around bestowing magic, fairy dust and butterfly wishes on all we see!
Yes, as you may have guessed, our respective costumes are Fairy Princess (mine) and Butterfly (Caroline's). We both feel right at home in these characters - in fact, I feel like I'm finally back to my true self when I"m flitting around in pink, sprinkling sparkling fairy dust over all and sundry. It gives us an excuse to be friendly and fun to everyone we meet and to help adults and children believe just a little bit...
When the parade set off yesterday, we were standing on Kotze Street (main road in Hillbrow, an inner city Bronx-like area) on the sidelines with the crowd while the floats assembled and the police cleared the streets. I looked around at people's faces and the longing to believe seemed to be at war with world-weariness and scepticism on their features.
There was a squat Zulu man in the crowd behind us mumbling 'Voertsek' (Afrikaans for 'piss off') under his breath as the MC announced the beginning of the Carnival procession. A few moments later, as the floats began to get underway and the music and shouts from the performers filled the streets, he came to stand next to us and asked us what the whole thing was about.
We explained and he listened with interest, then shared that he is an actor putting together a Zulu mini-series. We asked him if he wanted some magic wishes to help him with his dreams and he laughed and nodded. Caroline (aka Butterfly Lady) gave him a gold metallic butterfly and I waved my wand over him and wished him blessings. His face was alight with a big white smile and he laughed and said, 'I believe!'
Magic in the dust
Cathy Park
There is a longing
in me
for myth and magic
the ring of steel on steel
at dawn
the brush of a velvet sleeve
the drift of flowing robe on marble floor
magic words
spells and curses
goblets wine-shining in the firelight
wizards and witches
choosing sides
in the never ending dance
between shadow and light
a time
when each character
knows his significance
and stands noble and steel-jawed
when a kiss sears the lips
and the two lovers fill the frame
beneath the glowing moon
a place
where there is nothing else
but noble acts
death-defying
dragon-slaying
moments
grand gestures
bold declarations of love
not just this
grimy
gritty
turning of the cogs
of one ordinary day into the next
yet
on this ordinary night
in this light
my room
looks like a queenly chamber
the velvet throw on my bed
is ruby red
and somewhere
out there
swords clash
and warriors dance
between shadow and light
2007
