Last Thursday we held a screening of AmaZulu –Children of
Heaven at the Platform office. As usual at Shake! we don’t do things normally,
after watching the film, we all participated in a short free write. Free writes
are exactly what they say they are; free writing. No thinking, no processing,
just pen on paper. We find free writes are
a great creative tool and an easy way to get all the thoughts floating in our
heads out on paper, they even help frame some interesting discussions.
Post film discussions with Jordan and Nathaniel
Here are two examples
of free writes by Shake!r’s Umaru and
Lucas after watching AmaZulu:
AMAZULU- CHILDREN OF HEAVEN
When I see life lived
the hard way, the other side of living, the other side of life itself, which I
don’t have to go through, its hard and I do count myself blessed for the things
I take for granted… a home, family, friends even food. Its taught me that it is hard but you have no
choice but to follow your dreams, because if you don’t its like the Amazulu
children going to school without singing their song. What’s the point? But It’s
great when you can leave a place of labour where you have made great friends
for life and hear the words “well
done”you have done your job, mission accomplished, yeh mission accomplished. In South Africa there is a long way to go
before we hear those words- mission accomplished but the children of Amazulu
showed us that it is a start. Its
massive steps back when guys spread HIV to girls without even thinking about
the consequences, but children of heaven keep singing your song, because we all
need to hear it. - By Umaru Saidu
AmaZulu warriors are children from above supporting
people and singing as they go into exams is truly real love. I am amazed by
their personalities and warming attitude. They are really inspiring and compel
me to muse. Similarities and differences form their country to ours, their
cheerfulness is really contagious and makes me want to give them flowers. The ins and outs of African lifestyle is
truly sublime and I love to right about them paper with a lot of rhymes. –By Lucas Kelly
