Tiger Flies (Fig. 1), scientifically called Coenosia are small inconspicuous grey flies. They belong to a family of flies called the Muscidae, generally referred to as “Houseflies” but they are not your stereotypical pesky housefly (Fig. 2) and are not likely to come into your house to irritate you like their cousins. You see, these little flies are actually fierce predators and typically hunt all kinds of insects.
Extract from the Keynote Address delivered by Dr M Mushonga* at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein, 4 October 2022.
The Man/Woman in the Mirror
So, this evening I am going to try and talk about what I think are some of the key lessons we learn from Pitika Ntuli’s Azibuyele Emasisweni (Return to the Source) art which scored a first at the Global Fine Arts Awards. Yet in order to speak to the art, it is important to know the person behind the art. Yet, what do I know about he who has been described by many as an exceptional artist. From where I stand, Pitika is not an exceptional artist because exceptional artists do not exist. There has never been an exceptional artist anywhere, anytime.
Almost all terrestrial animals have some type of claw. Vertebrates like mammals, reptiles and birds have claws made from a protein called keratin, while invertebrates for example insects, spiders and mites have claw-like structures made from a combination of chitin, calcium carbonate and sclerotin. A typical claw is a curved, strong, often hard appendage at the end of a limb. Nails in humans are also made of keratin, but don’t end in a sharp or curved point. Claws have various functions such as walking, climbing, digging, catching and self-defense. Anyone who owned a cat can confirm their claws are very efficient for defense!
In a situation of life and death during wartime, it might sound superfluous that concern for Ukraine’s cultural heritage has also become newsworthy since its invasion by Russia on the 24th of February 2022. The Ukrainians themselves are risking their lives to safeguard cultural objects by transporting movable objects and artworks to safer areas and safeguarding immovable objects such as statues by covering them with sandbags. Ukraine has a long and illustrious history and as a result also a rich legacy of cultural heritage which, given the severity of the invasion, is near on impossible to safeguard.
“It is better to die for an idea than to live for an idea that will die”
A reflection on the legacy of Onkgopotse Abram ‘Ramothibi’ Tiro in the context of the history of liberation education.
Every age has its own sages and visionaries, men and women who face the demands of their time with courage and determination while leaving their footprints in history. Onkgopotse was an outstanding man who challenged the apartheid regime and was seen as a formidable enemy by the state. Considering his humble beginnings and rise to become a student activist, and the many hats he wore in the various organizations he served, his ultimate goal was the liberation of all South Africans.