Lessons along the way...

To live in this world comes with its sacrifices. We do not choose our path willingly but we still need to walk it. Though many of us are afraid, it matters not. For the promises and contracts were agreed to, during our crossing...we will still be held accountable to them in our lives. 

I have been on a hiatus for a while. Since moving to Japan, my creative juices haven't been flowing well. The change in environment had an impact on my life. The consciousness around me affects me so badly. 

Things I decided to start working on were: myself, things I like and my spirituality. I have been focusing on where I want to go in the future. First, I had to identify what it is I want to see in my life and how to get there as well as the tools I could use. I used this kind of thinking for the different things I wanted to change. 

See...trying to change someone might be easier since it's external. But of course it's all about you. Looking at people's behaviour and identifying what you don't like about them could help you identify what you need to change within yourself.

On my recent trip home I realised that prior to that...it had been easy for me to accept things that were halfway where I wanted them like a zero waste lifestyle or other elements in my lifestyle. During my trip, I realised that halfway was good enough then but now I want it all. 

I realised on that trip how much we take things for granted and don't preserve them aggressively as Africans. The natural spaces we take for granted are shrinking; homes for wildlife are shrinking. We do nothing. Our rivers are dying and we are doing nothing. What this all means is: we are dying and we are doing nothing.

I recently started baking and making my own food from raw produce so I can get back that pride in the food I eat. It's been great. One thing that started from awakening myself spiritually, created a chain reaction. I started choosing the food I eat...I became vegan(after being vegetarian for about . I saw prices of processed food like plant-based milk were expensive so I started making my own milks. I then had to learn how to use all of the nuts or beans I used. Using the whole thing and leaving no waste..so I had to bake more and make new recipes. In turn that added to my composting habits. I had to reduce my waste so I found ways to carry food that is sustainable and would save me money in the future. Because I started composting...I had to think about my garden and getting the most of the small living spaces in Japan. 

I'm now learning to manage my money better as well as making better shopping choices looking at the product and packaging. I usually order food in bulk because I currently live in Japan and there are very few bulk shops in Japan. Meaning a lot of products are in single portions and use a lot of plastic packaging. You can imagine how this contributes to the price and how much plastic rubbish collects in my house. 

This, as you can imagine has changed my space at home as well as my habits around the home. I have also started dabbling in cleaning products. I'm currently testing some of them. Anything I fail to use or goes off, because Japan is hot...goes in my composting barrel.  

I'm so excited about this journey cause it's caused changes in me and my space. It has prevented me from depression and falling into a tomb. 

Dancing to a different beat

I haven't posted in a while. I am sure the two people following this know it.
We all have a lot we do in life. Somethings are senseless. Some we do because of necessity. And others we just factory in cause we are scared to do nothing in life.

I have been doing a lot of things in my life that are not necessary. I have always balanced this with a rigorous bout of something creative. As you can imagine...this leaves me tired and feeling a little overused.

I do confess that all the other things on the side that I have always done have been about keeping me alive. In my earlier posts I have written about how a certain country keeps me alive and others do not. Environments we live in can either help us become better people by creating a bottle effect around us...and we emerge like butterflies taking a breath into new life.
Other environments can stifle you, make you feel flat and worthless in the end.
I personally choose to live in an environment that lets you spread your wings when you have been cocooned for some time. The results are more rewarding.

My cocoon stage began when I came back from Japan the first time and included a greats with  my family. I chose to live with my family when I came back in the hopes of reconnecting with them and building relationships. My reasons were basic: I would probably decide to jet off and live somewhere else for a long while while I build a family and my life's work. I was blessed to find that most of my family was still alive and that I could make connections with family that had even passed away.
My ancestors and current family gave me a stable environment for becoming a more universal being. This really made the phrase "on Earth as it is in Heaven". Celestial bodies are a reflection of who we are...who we have been and reflect those that have passed and still follow us in spirit.

 

When we free ourselves in the grandest ways...grand things happen to us. This is my greatest experiment on Earth. I want to keep growing. I think there is no sense to living if we don't learn and aspire to be the best human beings we can be. This is also a great saying from the Buddha which confirmed that my dreams at 13 to become Buddhist were correct.

I have decided that I need to retire at a young age...meaning I would like to be working on my own functional business at a young age and doing nothing else but finding peace, love and happiness on my downtime.

 

I am almost there.
I also want to be in a place that would allow growth...specifically in my heart chakra. My heart chakra has been open since I was 12(maybe younger) because of how we live in Johannesburg. We try to shield our children from danger and hurt by telling them to love less, to be a little less happy and in general not to shine as much as they should. 

I am sick of that. So I  decided to move locations for now. My beautiful Johannesburg has been my bottle filled with smog. It has served well as a place to find where my spirit belongs....where my wings should be battering away...showed me how much I can dampen my light before I can feel like all life has been sucked away.

I have moved.

Streetlight schools: The life of a beading dancer teacher

So every Saturday, I slowly get myself across town to teach the young, talented minds of South Africa.  I work on a syllabus to teach that includes art, design and movement. Lately we have been doing a lot of art in the hopes of setting up a market.

The more I teach my students the more I see, time is not on our side. Most of my learners head off to the far rural areas of South Africa between November and December. I am really trying to push that we set up a market so that they understand something about making money.

I love teaching at the center even if my students are still learning to behave in art class...imparting art knowledge is priceless.

My students haven't been exposed to a lot of arty activities because of their location and general background. We are moving into a new space soon in our building to accommodate our learners and have enough space to teach and run around. 

If you would like to donate any art material, learning material or even cash to support our teachers' salaries. Contact me or find Streetlight schools on facebook.

Family life

Last December my family went out several times to eat out with the kids.

These are the times that make memories for families and I can say that families are important people in my life.  I have learnt that in African Spirituality, family goes together with your ancestors. It's a simple equation. Ancestors' assistance is directly proportional to how you keep your family. If your family looks after each other and makes sure to look after the family that came before them and the future family...its good karma.

I am an art teacher and whenever the small cousins come..its what we do...and bake ofcourse!

I find myself at 3

I am finding it hard to forget you.
The scent of your hand hasn't faded yet...I'm still waiting four spirit to reclaim the last of it.
I haven't forgotten you standing close behind me, hugging me, your arms around me.
Content. Satisfied.
How your hands seemed to belong with mine.
They used to find mine and hug them so gently.
Late morning. My nose would find the smell of breakfast with your face in line for the day's first kiss.
Why is it that these things never erase themselves and require so much effort to temporarily disappear?
All our small moments have collided into un-erasable data...stone masoned onto my fresh, biological heart.

shaivite

When love presents itself: we fold
When love finds us: we hide
When love is in front of us: we undress it.

Love sprouted within me when I saw you.  Nothing mattered in that moment, not the looks I got for even looking at you at that theatre. When I saw you something inside me opened up, like when Peter Pan finds his magick.  Something lifted off me and I found myself in a place where everything made sense even though outside my bubble it would not.

I saw you how I wanted to see you.  Bare with no gender.  You were you and I was me.  In that moment you were flawless, beyond measure.

In a funny way it felt like you had concubines at your sides, when I look back now, I could have said they had been. We played things cool in our conversation, from my side anyway, and made a move by exchanging numbers.

I left in a daze not understanding what happened to me:  You had already happened and I hadn't known.  The time between that moment at the theatre passed. Someone made a call, the other accepted a friend request and I caught a taxi to see you.
Without a thought about anything realistic, I knew I had to see you.  I knew something was up with me, but I didn't know what.  The thought of you made me blush: I didn't even have time to catch myself.
"Yes, I'm by the garage.  (Big smile). I see you".
I notice you, but no-one else.
We walk to your house, meet everyone and relax in the cottage.

If you asked me the most nervous time I had with you: this was it.
Do you like me?  When would you tell me?  Should I show you that I like you?

I never even thought you if had someone special in your life. I didn't care. You were mine. I was sure the universe had approved and sent you, why else would we be here?

I never left.

In the days that followed we talked.  We reasoned with love to let us in slowly, to let us be human, gentle.  Moments after we couldn't tear ourselves away from the other.  I had often counted my hours on this planet, since then...I have been counting my moments. For it was you that I spent long, lazy Sundays where I slowly learnt that love meant getting up a little before the other. We slept, walked and made love.

When love presents itself: I will not fold
When love finds us: I will not hide
When love is in front of me: I will wash its feet with waters from flowers.

This and that and some English

I've finding things to do these days....getting a job, studying for my TEFL and just random good things. My good things are crazy to some people...my favourite activities definitely include drinking tea. I look forward to sundowners with tea, reading a book anywhere, chatting with people I haven't seen in a while.  I have been looking and definitely finding. Last week I found that if I don't meditate, I can't super focus. Things like that.  I found myself looking at my poems/words in my phone.

The one I keep looking at:

Shiva loves and dies in ashes

Shiva loves and dies in ashes every time you look at me.
Shiva loves and dies in ashes when we greet.
Shiva loves and dies in ashes when we speak, afraid to address what concerns us the most.
Shiva loves and dies in ashes in our silences and the lines between them.
Shiva loves and dies in ashes of faded henna.  Right between the pumpkin spinach and basmati.  We let the moments go, our moments of touch. Lips. Neck. Back. Breasts. Skin. Toes. We lived the moments before thinking them. They have become a faded memory that we think only happened in each others thoughts.
Only when we see each other do we remember our downfalls.  I have failed love's memory with you.

I haven't forgotten you but you have moved forward.


B.R

The Love House (ラブ ハウス)... 愛をこめて(Ai wo komete)

The Love is spreading...and I have found a home in Pretoria.  I am finding that love is hard to find if you are looking for it.  I have found a love oasis instead..a place I can chill, play scrabble (very important for me) and read books without distracting males with roving eyes.

I have also found that the Love House can host my products there. So my products have a home in Pretoria and Jozi...I'll be with you soon. But these sisters have my back.  It is an amazing space in Pretoria's Sunnyside.  It seems for all those souls that do not fit into Pretoria's uppity crowd or house peeps, a place has been created for them.. If you ask me it is the perfect place for my heart to rest and gain strength before I leap out into the world.


Love is a worthy contender in today's capital driven world. Everywhere I look, love is becoming that thing you know is loosing value now and will be selling high one day. It is often easy for one to choose something either than love, it is just easier.  But love asks us to look within ourselves. It asks us to love ourselves...find ourselves and even love others for the sake of ourselves.  It is hard to give into that feeling honestly without trying to get something out...for most people. The rest of us that give it 100% get left behind on the side of the road like deer during hunting season...or cows in the middle of main roads in villages.  We are left with our tongues out, eyes glazed...helpless till we get back on our feet.


It has occurred to me that after getting up, it may not be easy for me to love when I have intense hate.  I have an intense hate for African men(South African...African specifically). Yeah! I said it. I really hate that I have this hate cause it means it will get in the way of my loving somehow.  I don't think you can love unconditionally with some kind of hate in your heart.  I am walking my way slowly out of it...one foot in front of the other...if only men could be kinder to me as I make the journey....


So if you are looking for Beading Dancer Products...you will find them at The Love House on De Kock street, Sunnyside, Pretoria. My journals, skin products and jewels.

Love. Ai. Lerato

New pics of new tings!!

My new products

I still have these African journals and you can email me to view other designs or specify the design.  The skin products are also available. I have bath salts, scrubs, salves and foot polishes available.

ArtRising Part two....

Again, we are pushing activism. We are doing our annual youth remembrance event in Soweto. This year we have scaled it down because we would like to really focus on the Media center at Thabisang and completing the interior design.  We will be focusing on changing the space when schools close next week.

We invite those who want to see change in our schools to join us in the spirit of the youth of 76'.  We continue to fight for African systems of education. Thus far no such thing exists, we are forced to learn primarily in English and in Western ways.  The Education syllabus in South Africa is disgusting to say the least. The is no intergration of our indegenous cultures and cosmologies(including language).  Yes one can say the youth can choose Zulu at school if they wish...but does that same youth use it till tertiary and in corporate South Africa? i think not. After the youth of 76' fought so hard, education still happens from an outsiders perspective. We, I am speaking as an Afrikan...not South African(whatever that is...cause anyone can be South African these day...except Africans). We are forced to learn other peoples languages from an early age, then we have to adopt their culture, then we have to submit to the Eurocentric-male dominated world of work that looks down on us still.

The Africa that some of us picture will not exist at this rate. The Africa that says you can learn African ways of being and doing things so we can come up with solutions that work for more than 60% of the country and not the minority.

Reflection:

I get up everyday and reject the corporate world because it does not speak to my vision of that Africa.  I design, make and produce items that I believe call for a different interaction with this Africa.  Most people do not get what I do because I am not subscribing to the usual: go to university, get a qualification and work for a white man.  My spirit cannot subscribe to such. I think it is the cowards way out...I do not view myself as a half-way crook.  Bass John can come to buy books from me for all I care...I handmake my journals and everything else, I dont see why people have to go to exclusive books to get expensive-carbon footprint costly items.
It is beyond me why Africans still look to the minority in the country for validation. I am all about loving other people and their culture(love it to bits) but I am for each of our nations standing up by themselves so that we can build life sustaining, life growing and seriously world changing work.  But i dont think it will happen if we all try to be the next person instead of ourselves.

Nuff ranting:

Catch Artrising this weekend...changing our neighbourhoods one project at a time. Come support the indigo market this Sunday and begin different conversations about financial markets and trade as a whole.

Also if you are in the Kagiso(west rand) area, check out the youth March on the 17th from 8am.  Kagiso's youth rising happened on the 17th and the activists in Eternal Beat(emancipation of thoughts) chose to celebrate it on that day.

Re gopola...batsha ba Aforika!

Beading Dancer's pop-up shop

During the month of May I had the opportunity to open my pop-up shop in different markets.

The French Market

The french style market happened earlier in the month at the French Alliance in Parkview opposite Zoo lake, Johannesburg.  The market happens when it happens. I was selling my latest products and met a lot of interesting people.  There was a lady selling cheese and a condiment made from port to accompany the cheese. A lot of french people make their way here cause it also happens to be a french school.

Living Room Eco-Faire

The eco-faire was the first of its kind at the Living Room in Maboneng District on Main street Johannesburg.  The eco-faire had workshops on guerilla gardening and raw food.  The chef in the picture made some gastronomical raw cheesecakes and cookies as well as raw lasagne made from raw baby marrow. I could marry this man based on his cooking skills, that's how good he is!
There will be another faire at the end of the month.
The Living Room is at the top of the building and has a green feel about it(besides the plants that hang and grow everywhere).

Ambush was also there with some words to think about, songs and plants for sale.  Ambush people are plant people and you can sometimes find them guerilla gardening on the side of the road or abandoned places.

The Design Exhibitions(with a side order of tea and bakes).

This time we will be hosting the exhibition indoors in town. The last three have been in  my garden and Norscot Manor in Fourways.  This one will be over two days.
We feature different designers who make different items.

RainQueen Creations

This lady is amazing.  Kebo's clothing label makes grounded, accentric clothing that inspire the goddess in you. She sources the best organic fabric for her items and incorporates her own style. She also has handmade crotchet bags, belts and clothing that her mother makes from scratch with her design instruction.

These are my items...Beading Dancer.  A mix of some modern and traditional materials...with a lot of stones.

Lilliana Transplanter

Linzi makes items from upcycled material like old tyres and shoe soles to make purses, flip-flops and gloves.  She also uses trees to make earrings and accessories.  Lilliana also crotchets water bottle holders.  Her other products include painting on reclaimed wood. This lady is the definition of green.

I.C Timeless

Themba makes anything out of leather...i do believe you can ask him to make leather spoons!  This man makes bags, belts, shoes, earrings and even decor.  He uses 100% leather in different colours. I wear his creations all the time!

All of these designers can be googled or facebooked...but if you come through to the exhibition you might be sure to find them or we can get you in touch with them.
Hope to see you at the next one to catch up over some tea!

New products!!!!


Check out my new products...handmade journals and skin products...straight from the case!

New work

I am busy dabbling with making journals.  These journals are made with African fabric on upcycled cardboard. So basically they are fly and upcycled. I will be making new items this month and the old designs are going on sale. So let me know whats up or what you are into or when you want me to roll through. 

I am also painting if there are interested parties. 

I will post up pics as soon as I can.

Hakama-hakama-hakama...desu ne!

Hakama ne!

I am sooo excited about wearing this thing it is weird. The happiness has enveloped me. I think I like dress up...dressing up in a yukata and an obi and now a hakama. Whilst no one has taught me to tie it, I think I haven't done a bad job, but I am trying to get it right each time I put it on.

I did realise that there is a booty bump at the back that is apart of it. I am an Afrikan woman and I am gifted in that area so it is always tricky putting on traditional Japanese garb because you are supposed to look flat with no curves...and I have been favoured in those areas.

Please let me know what you think...or even if you have info on reducing the booty bump let me know.

I am trying to find a combination that works for me...this are my choices:

The black formal

The booty bump

The purple

The purple

The blue

The blue