Gukurahundi in retrospect

theatre performance as a cultural public sphere

Abstract

Resistance during Gukurahundi was virtually impossible especially in holding camps such as Bhalagwe and Matopo. Gukurahundi refers to the 1983-1987 period in Zimbabwean history characterised by an unconfirmed genocide of the Ndebele minority. Upon the deployment of the 5th Brigade in Matabeleland and some parts of Midlands, the government of the day closed off media access to these areas, banning access to journalists without formal permission. While some survivors of the holding camps and Gukurahundi brutality have over the years shared their experiences with family members, some have chosen to remain quiet. Out of the firsthand narratives from Gukurahundi emerging through various platforms, an ‘alternative’ narrative is beginning to infect public opinion and discourse. It is considered ‘alternative’ because it contests the official ‘moment of madness’ (GAIDZANWA, 2015) government meta-narrative. In this article, I examine Victory Siyanqoba’s Talitha Koum-Someone Lied! (here in after referred to as Talita Koum) as one instance of a cultural public sphere’s ability to give a voice to those who have lost theirs such as the survivors and their children in a manner that unsettles the past, bringing alternative narratives to the public and instigating debates and discourses around Gukurahundi.