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Africa Talks
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African-Australians can face prejudice in their everyday lives, whether it’s increased likelihood of harassment by police or lazy assumptions that they come from backgrounds of poverty or violence. But identifying as African-Australian is also a source of strength, providing community ties and connecting to a rich culture.
What does it mean to be an African-Australian? Who is an African-Australian … and why is it personally important for Australians with African ancestry to embrace and own it?
We’ll look at this subject from a range of African perspectives. Featuring host Santilla Chingaipe, with Hawiine, Kirk Zwangobani and Monica Forson.
Who?
Santilla Chingaipe
Santilla Chingaipe is a journalist and filmmaker whose work explores migration, cultural identities and politics. She is a regular contributor to the Saturday Paper, and serves as a member of the Federal Government’s Advisory Group on Australia-Africa Relations (AGAAR).
Chingaipe wrote and directed the documentary series Third Culture Kids for the ABC. Other credits include the short documentary Black As Me.
Her first book of non-fiction detailing the stories of convicts of African descent transported to the Australian penal colonies, is forthcoming with Picador in 2021.
The recipient of several awards, Chingaipe was recognised at the United Nations as one of the most influential people of African descent in the world in 2019.
Hawiine
Hawiine, known in equal fondness as Soreti Kadir, is a multidisciplinary artist. Most well known for her expression as a performance poet, writer, musician, organiser and speaker, her practice is always developing to better communicate her message.
A lover of storytelling, Hawiine recently released her second collection of written work, 167 Ways To Love, available as an ebook. Her most recent musical work is a compilation of poetry and music, titled Pride’s Claw, available on Soundcloud.
Monica Forson
Monica Forson is co-founder and president of the Afro-Australian Student Organisation, a member of the Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network, and youth advisor for the Ghana Association of Australia.
Kirk Zwangobani
Kirk Zwangobani was born and educated in Canberra, Australia where he now lives and works as an executive teacher. Kirk is an early career researcher who has theorised extensively on the formation of an African Australian identity and belonging, working across a number of fields including postcolonialism, philosophy, cultural studies and education.
Africa Talks
People from Africa arrived in Australia with the First Fleet, but large-scale African immigration to Australia is much more recent – and is hugely diverse. While South Africa and Egypt top the list of African migrants to Australia, Melbourne’s largest African communities are from Sudan and Mauritius – and we’re home to more than half the arrivals from Ethiopia and Somalia.
How do we engage with the African community – or rather, communities? What do we know about the more than 50 countries in this vast – and diverse – continent? And what do we think we know, but actually get wrong?
Zambian-born Santilla Chingaipe, an award-winning SBS journalist, will explore the issues and challenge our perceptions in a series of events that tease out the complexities of African-Australian identity, representation and politics.
