The Outsiders bring the voice of the African Diaspora to the forefront once again in their latest offering Our Stories Our Motherland. Staging the voices of three different women, Abuk Lual, Nidal Saeed, and Vuma Phiri, this show brings to life vivid accounts of their lives. Interlacing poetry, spoken word, and subtle movement, they bring the kind of stories that you don’t often hear around these parts. Feeding my hunger for different perspectives, I was left uncomfortable at some points and honoured to be invited to hear the innermost thoughts of these poets.
The Studio Underground stage was delicately laid out with warm brown and orange furnishings, contrasting with the white outfits worn by the performers. The show opened with Abuk, Nidal and Vuma sitting in a circle yarning. When they sat down at the end of the show, in the same spot, it brought a beautiful cyclical feel to the timeliness of their stories yet also gave a comfortable closure to the show.
Our Stories, Our Motherland. Photography by Ayo Busari.
Through a rich range of stories from mermaids to modern religion, themes of womanhood and identity were presented with a depth that I felt was only possible by Black women. You could walk in there hollow and indifferent, and their voices would effortlessly reverberate to the deepest pit of your being to make their feelings reach you. Even if you can’t resonate, as I couldn’t with some of the discussions of femininity and blackness, you can absolutely feel the meaning behind it.
Demonstrating pan Africanism and dismantling the concept of the continent as a monoculture, Our Stories Our Motherland brings a powerful trio of women to the stage and dares you to not pay attention.