Ngiyabonga belungu bami

Abstract

Considering how Black People are often seen/unseen as a monolith of ‘Black Bodies’ in township spaces in South Africa, I attempt tounpack what it looks like for Black People to blend into or stand out from contradictory, collective-led definitions of who/what Black people are in these spaces. By exploring where the individual Black Self meets the collective and how this delineation is blurred, I aim to delve further into notions of individuality and how these seep into a real or imagined whole. What does it take to be ‘kasi’? Whowants to be known as ‘kasi’? Who is ‘uDarkie ekasi’? As an arts practitioner developing an interdisciplinary praxis, I’m keen to explore these kinds of identity politics through the lens of translanguaging and township-based experiences and expressions. My aim is for this text to offer alternative insights into the intersection of ‘Black Bodies,’ the various notions associated with how ‘Black People’ are perceived, and their self-perceptions within township spaces.