‘LAND’ explores Namibia’s legacy of land dispossession through dance
The National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) will stage ‘LAND’ a contemporary dance theatre production choreographed by renowned Namibian artist Haymich Olivier, from 2-4 October at 20:00 at NTN.
The production confronts one of Namibia’s most enduring and painful issues: land dispossession, forced relocation, and the intergenerational consequences of these injustices. Drawing inspiration from personal recollections of Windhoek’s historic Old Location, LAND uses physical theatre, contemporary dance, archival sound, and spoken word to examine the emotional and political legacy of displacement in the country.
Olivier described the work as “a reclamation of history, a ritual of remembrance, and a call to justice. We are mapping the emotional and physical landscape of forced removal onto the bodies of performers so that audiences confront the unfinished business of land and inequality in Namibia.”
The performance features a dynamic ensemble of Namibian performers, including Gift Uzera, Justina Andreas, Treazurique Titus, Shashitwako Muteka, Lea-Liezer Ndeiluka, Roberto Meneguzzo, Sandile Mondlane, Bupe Chiwala, and Maria Rengura.
In addition to the performances, NTN will host a free pre-show discussion, ‘Using the Arts to Address Land Dispossession in Namibia,’ on 16 September at 18:00 in the theatre’s Dance Rehearsal Room. Members of the creative team will participate in the conversation, offering an open forum for exploring how the performing arts can engage with historical injustice and collective memory.
Tickets for LAND are N$180 and can be purchased online through Webtickets Namibia or at Model stores nationwide.
The production confronts one of Namibia’s most enduring and painful issues: land dispossession, forced relocation, and the intergenerational consequences of these injustices. Drawing inspiration from personal recollections of Windhoek’s historic Old Location, LAND uses physical theatre, contemporary dance, archival sound, and spoken word to examine the emotional and political legacy of displacement in the country.
Olivier described the work as “a reclamation of history, a ritual of remembrance, and a call to justice. We are mapping the emotional and physical landscape of forced removal onto the bodies of performers so that audiences confront the unfinished business of land and inequality in Namibia.”
The performance features a dynamic ensemble of Namibian performers, including Gift Uzera, Justina Andreas, Treazurique Titus, Shashitwako Muteka, Lea-Liezer Ndeiluka, Roberto Meneguzzo, Sandile Mondlane, Bupe Chiwala, and Maria Rengura.
In addition to the performances, NTN will host a free pre-show discussion, ‘Using the Arts to Address Land Dispossession in Namibia,’ on 16 September at 18:00 in the theatre’s Dance Rehearsal Room. Members of the creative team will participate in the conversation, offering an open forum for exploring how the performing arts can engage with historical injustice and collective memory.
Tickets for LAND are N$180 and can be purchased online through Webtickets Namibia or at Model stores nationwide.
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