Windhoek
The Ombetja Yehinga Organisation Trust (OYO) dance troupe premiered a new breathtaking piece Moirai last Thursday at the Warehouse Theatre.
OYO partnered with the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) to campaign for the end of gender-based violence in Namibia. They presented three pieces, Ever Since Helen, created in 2014, about intimate partners’ violence, looking at issues around jealousy and cheating, Moirai that and finally Get a Job which looked at how people could prevent gender-based violence.
Choreographed by Philippe Talavera Moirai is about the three Moirai who were the Greek deities that controlled the mother thread of lifestyle of every human from birth to death. They were independent, at the controls of requirement, directed fate, and watched that the fate assigned to every being by eternal laws might take its course without obstruction. But is the fate of a victim of gender-based violence assigned to her? And should it take its course without obstruction? Or should one try and take his/her life in his/her own hand? What happens if you take the thread of your own life in your own hand?
The piece was well received by the audience and they couldn’t stop talking about it. “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. It was a beautiful performance! Thank you for all the fantastic work you do to change young people’s lives at the most meaningful level,” says one of the members of the audience Kandi. “It was a powerful performance. Your dancers and pieces are impressive. The show left me with tears in my eyes and a proud heart’, comments Annasara another audience.
Talavera says this year OYO, will only focus on gender-based violence. The pieces toured schools, and will continue touring schools. “We want to ensure children know where to seek help if they are abused. And we want to help them grow as responsible adults,” notes Talavera.
He adds that between January and mid-July, with their different programmes they organised 170 shows. “This is an incredible achievement and a record for Namibia. We are proud to partner with UNICEF to step up for change and end gender-based violence now.” Moirai will be performed again at the Goethe Centre on August