Gqom is South African rhythm tradition shaped by the social reality of neoliberalism under a corrupted ANC, after Mandela having had to make major concessions to foreign pressure, unable to carry out the land and property reforms that were central to his post-independence program --- high crime rates, high levels of social tension and conflict, high levels of discontent and anxiety.

Gqom is ancestral Southern African rhythm heritage refracted through the lens of late capitalism, both expressing how we feel in this chaotic era as shaped by the objective conditions of social conflict, as well as to the deeper, timeless collective culture that is our common inheritance.

GQOM: Class War

Zimbabwe is known for being one of the only countries that has taken decolonization all the way to land reclamation. Here's a conversation with my friend about his experience growing up during the land grabs in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s. This conversation expanded my understanding of the complexity of decolonization. This is one voice in a sea of perspectives on this topic, but I think it's a valuable one. I hope it can be a jumping off point for you to explore the history and nuances of decolonization around the world.

How a Land Back Movement Can Go Wrong: Zimbabwe

In this episode, we're exploring the many facets of land reform from those working on the front lines will hear from activists and policy experts advocating for communities to gain greater control and stewardship over the land they live on. We learn about the legal pathways communities can take to acquire land, as well as the challenges and success stories of groups who have gone through that process.

Our guests are Carrie Doyle, Callum Macleod and Heather Yearwood.

⁠Carrie Doyle⁠ is an urban hub manager at Community Land Scotland, specialising in urban land reform, policy shaping, and empowering communities in determining land use.
⁠⁠Callum Macleod⁠⁠, a sustainable development consultant and land reform campaigner, with expertise in feasibility studies for community land buyouts and legislative scrutiny.


⁠Heather Yearwood ⁠Urban development officer at Community Land Scotland, facilitating community land buyouts with a background in community development and climate mitigation initiatives.

Housing and Town Centre Living

Land reform - Ep2 - Community Ownership - Rural and urban and the need for reform

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile earlier today met, with the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen  at Tuynhuys, Cape Town. The meeting is a continuation of engagements by the Deputy President with the core Ministries that have a direct bearing on his Delegated Responsibilities by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and agree on a common Programme of Action for the 7th Administration in line with the priorities of Government.

29 August 2024 - Afternoon News Bulletin

The official South African Government account, offering easy access to government news, programmes, public information and services. E-mail: socialmedia@gcis.gov.za

Born in Beijing and based in Berlin, Dj Zhao brings a poly-cultural understanding of polyrhythm to dance floors all over the world, and applies historical materialist analysis to the study of social music.  Not restricted by style and convention, Dj Zhao's deeply percussive sets span across genres and draws from wildly different times and places, connecting Africa, Asia, and South America, acoustic and electronic, traditional and hyper-modern.

Select Past Performances:
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FESTIVALS

Nyege Nyege (Uganda) 
Fusion Festival (Germany) 
Incubate (Holland) 
Odunde (USA)
EXIT Festival (Serbia) 
Sondeka (Kenya) 
Club Trans Mediale (Germany) 
Sziget Festival (Hungary)
Tribal Gathering (Panama) 
Ethnoport (Poland) 
Worldtronics (Germany) 
Fest de Bestuiving (Holland) 
Sineztezija (Montenegro) 
Sonar Festival (Germany) 
MišMaš (Czech Republic) 
Solar Weekend (Holland) 
Mikser (Serbia) 
Treffpunkt Afrika (Austria) 
Decoloniale (Germany)
At.Tension (Germany) 
Hakuna Matata (Germany) 
Art Lake (Germany) 

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CLUBS

Berghain (Berlin, DE)
Ponyaza (Johannesburg, SA)
Ritter Butzke (Berlin, DE)
La Riviera (Madrid, SP)
About://Blank (Berlin, DE)
Nuba (Paris, FR)
Palác Akropolis (Prague, CZ)
Watergate (Berlin, DE)
Radialsystem (Berlin, DE)
Danse Danse! (Amsterdam, NL)
Andel music Club (Prague, CZ)
Rich Mix (London, UK)
HKW (Berlin, DE)
UT Connewitz (Leipzig, DE)
Opium (Vilnius, LT)
The Shrine (NYC, US)
Gretchen (Berlin, DE)
Klub Fabryka (Krakow, PL)
Leopold Museum (Vienna, AT)
Floripa (London, UK)
Treehouse (Nairobi, KE)
YAAM (Berlin, DE)
Red Cat (Mainz, DE)
Coup D'Etat, Chicago (US)



Capital Pub (Kampala, UG)
Vacca Matta (Johannesburg, SA)
Occii (Amsterdam, NL)
Club 414 (London, UK)
WonderBar (Boston, US)
Noize Fabrik (Berlin, DE)
Lipsiusbau (Dresden, DE)
La Dame De Canton (Paris, FR)
Karlstorbahnhof (Heidelberg, DE)
Zeba Washington (Washington DC, US)
Guanabara (London, UK)
Shikisha (Johannesburg, SA)
Passing Clouds (London, UK)
Urban Spree (Berlin, DE)
ACUD Macht Neu (Berlin, DE)
Panke (Berlin, DE)
Take Five (Bristol, UK)
Badehaus (Berlin, DE)
Bi Nuu (Berlin, DE)
Cookies (Berlin, DE)
Confessions (Prague, CZ)
Bohannon (Berlin, DE)
Tausend (Berlin, DE)

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LECTURES

“Forbidden Drums: The Secret History of Modern Social Music”
Untitled Gallery, Berlin, DE 

“Altered Beats: Transatlantic Rhythmic Cross-Pollination” 
Festival de Bestuiving / Utrecht, NL 

“Forged in Pain: The Colonial Process of Musical Development”
Sound System Culture, Berlin, DE

“Legacy of Rhythm: From Biology to Culture” 
Mutant Rhythms Conference, Berlin, DE 

“Reconstructed Cultures and Music from Memory” 
Voneinander Lernen- interkulturelle, Gaziantep, Turkiye 

“Ancient Futurism: Racing The Rhythm Lineage of Modernity” 
Centrum Sonic Lecture Series / Berlin, DE 

“Deep Roots: African Sonic Heritage Today” 
THE SPACE BETWEEN US Music Convention / Berlin, DE

New tracks tagged #landreform