MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A Mossel Bay drama group is focused on creating awareness and discussing societal ills – bringing things into the open.
The JouNou Arts Foundation’s most recent production is called Waves Radio FM90.1.
It is a short, 45-minute production, about sexual abuse of girls in the home with the knowledge of the mother.
Not for the fainthearted, the production reaches a crescendo at the end, with the child victim saying: “I am talking to you now mommy; you are not listening; it’s happening again.”
JouNou, with the accent on the Nou, means “Your Now”, in English. Spokesperson and founder of the JouNou Arts Foundation, Bernard October, explains that the group has this name, because it deals with current issues which are relevant. It deals with the NOW.
Drama and teaching
Bernard has a history of drama and teaching. He was also a school counsellor.
He says much of the content JouNou will deal with, comes from issues he was confronted with as a councillor. An Afrikaans production, Waves Radio FM90.1 was presented at the Dias Maritime Museum in November last year.
Unfortunately, although publicised, it did not draw a large audience.
Realistic
The production is in the form of a radio show and some people thought a radio station was actually broadcasting from the museum, because the production was so realistic. The JouNou Arts Foundation had the idea of doing the play as a radio show because Radio Sonder Grense used to do short stories such as this. Waves Radio FM90.1 is like an actuality slot on radio.
The small cast of the production includes a psychologist, a girl in distress calling into the radio for help and one of the characters is a woman who was abused as a child.
The JouNou Arts Foundation was founded in January 2022 by Bernard October and Noël Philander.
Broad approach
Henry Fredericks joined the team after that and suggested the foundation should serve the community and have a broad approach, not just focus on drama and the performing arts.
So, the foundation committed itself to looking at cultural development, social issues, the economy, inequality and local politics.
It wishes to raise awareness of local governance and heritage while still developing drama and the dramatic arts. Bernard was based at a performing arts school in the Cape Town area. He was actively involved in developing performing arts and acting among children.
Cape Town
Originally a Mossel Bay local, after going to Cape Town, Bernard moved back to Mossel Bay.
The other members of the JouNou Arts Foundation are Jack Fillis, Miriam Uithaler, Clive Kiewiet and Francis Leibrandt.
Jack was one of the founders of Eden FM.
JouNou would like teenagers, teachers and parents to see Waves Radio FM90.1. It is suitable for church youth groups as well, Bernard says.
Being only 45 minutes long, the play could be presented after school assembly at high schools or it could be presented as part of the school subject, Life Orientation, for example, during a Life Orientation class. Bernard has also presented English plays in the past.
Funding
Bernard notes: "It would be good if we could get funding. This is only the first part of the social intervention we are doing. Other issues we want to address are fatherlessness, women abuse, drug abuse and teenage pregnancies."
How South Africa's history of slavery affects people today will also be explored by JouNou. Bernard alludes to his surname, October, and points out that when slaves were set free or sold in a certain month, they were given the name of the month as a surname.
Ancestors
"I will never know who my ancestors were. I was robbed of that," Bernard says.
Miriam Uithaler points out that anger and a lack of a sense of identity are the result of slavery.
"With regards to slavery in South Africa, there has never been anything like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission," Bernard notes.
Also a writer, Bernard has published a book through Malherbe Publishers, Be free little boy, about paternal identity.
The JouNou Arts Foundation has submitted an application to become an NPO.
For more information or to assist the foundation, call Bernard (064 508 5621).

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