BÂTIR LE COMMUN

In the organizer's words:

An international group of artists is looking for new narratives about a divided past, a shared vision of the future and thus also a changed shared view of the present between Germany and Cameroon - and beyond.

In 1884, Germany declares Cameroon a protectorate. A long struggle for possession of the territory and the freedom of its inhabitants began. Numerous resistance movements against the European colonial power formed and worked against aggressive land seizures, forced labor and tyranny. Cultures intersect at the edge of the scene. In 1914, the area is occupied by France and Great Britain. International artists search for traces of German-Cameroonian history. An interdisciplinary stage evening tells of power, resistance and interweaving. New narratives and perspectives emerge on a divided past, a shared vision of the future and thus also a changed shared view of the present between Germany and Cameroon - and beyond.

What is it all about?
Artists from different continents come together in a lab lasting about a day. They deal with different questions: some delve deeper into the history of the occupation of Cameroon and its resistance movements. They look for interesting characters and speculate about their possible appearance in today's world or search for kindred spirits in the present. Another group takes the Ambqss Bey, a now "traditional" Cameroonian dance that consists of elements of autochthonous and German folk dances, as a starting point for an examination of dances that bear traces of the slave trade and colonialism. In a video research project, the group works on an interweaving of past, present and future.

The evening is aimed at:

- People with an interest in history, especially colonial history, and cultural heritage

- Pupils and students

- The Cameroonian and African diaspora in the region

- Politically motivated theatergoers

- People interested in documentary theater

- Cultural and diplomatic institutions