The 50th National Arts Festival launched in Makhanda on Thursday. Throngs of visitors are expected to flock to the City of Saints to enjoy arts, heritage, culture, food, music and much, much more. Grocott’s Mail reporters Lukhanyiso Khanyile, Charial Reynders and Anita Mvane quizzed local residents regarding the differences they have noticed ahead of this year’s festival, in comparison to the past four years’.
Senkosi Sgulugulu from Rhodes University
I feel like this year’s festival is going to be big because posters and signs for venues are already up and they are fixing the roads, that’s the first sign. The energy around the town is lively and they seem happy compared to late last year, in June, when I left during vac to go back to Sterkspruit.
Ané De Bruto from New Street
Covid has really had a knock-on effect, which is partially the reason why the festival has died down. I think the vendors have been drawn by a festival that takes place outside Makhanda. In general people have been letting Makhanda down especially the municipality in terms of water accessibility and the roads. I really do hope this year’s festival is better than the last.
Wesley Gash from Grahamstown
It is great to be back in person. We had a couple of years online because of Covid-19 and that is really not great. I think there aren’t maybe some of the headline acts that we had before, but I looked at the program last night and there’s quite a few shows that caught my eye. My wife and I booked about 8 or 10 shows so we’re quite excited to go and be part of the festival again.
Siyabonga Faltein from Tantyi
It is no longer the same. Makhanda has talented youth that aren’t noticed. We only get to watch art shows during the festival. We as the people of Makhanda do not benefit from the NAF at all, we only get to be car guards. During the 1999 NAF we would do gumboot dancing and participate in the Playhouse Company’s talent show and show people from other places our talents.
Linique Denston from Makhanda
What I have noticed in the past few years is how tedious the festival has become. Back then it used to be a big thing, like it used to be a big deal. It was something that everyone looked forward to. But as the years go on, I think people just lose interest because there is not anything new, there is not a lot to show that they can display. Covid might have made an impact on individuals as they no longer have the kind of money to afford to come back.
Diana Westcott from Makhanda
It has changed in the last few years, it’s much smaller and more sort of less extravagant than it used to be. But the location is lovely, everybody loves it. The beer tent never changes – that is always going to be a hit. Everybody enjoys it. What I do miss from the old festivals were the street performers, we used to have that a lot. People just walking around High Street like mimers and things like that. We miss all that.
