I’m not good with words.
I’m not good at putting them together.
I try but alphabet soup burns my tongue and drips onto my notebook, and I’m back at square one.
You see, I want to make you see what’s in my head but sometimes the love-hate relationship between my words and I tends to be filled with wrath. And I tend to be on the receiving end of it. Yet I keep going back.
It’s kinda hard to teach yourself to unlove something when loving it filled you with purpose.
© 2017 L.S Maphatwana
Daughters of the soil
Makgotso Lekganyane and Tshiamo Mokgage
Photos By TleanStuff and SupermarketFlowers_za
Models:
A selection of random students of the UFS campus
and
Tebogo Malema; Khotso Chedda Moahloli; Alizwa Madebe; Makgotso Lekganyane; Tshepang Chanset Ramafoko; Joy Devenhuis
Living in Bloemfontein, calculating the weather’s moods swings into your outfit should be a skill that comes with the welcome pack… Its importance is right up there with Kasi Taal and breathing basically. Deciphering whether the sun is a hoax or if it is in fact hot outside becomes a bit of a time consuming problem for the stylish student. Students generally live on borrowed time, and because of this, they need a “quick fix”
when it comes to answering the ever-present question: what am I wearing today?
Fortunately, the 90’s are crawling back into our lives and they come bearing gifts; denim jackets t
o be precise. Whether it is rocked over a dress, a pair of leggings, shorts or even denim jeans, these jackets can essentially save any outfit. Because denim is a four season material, it’s really hard to have it go “out of fashion” because of its versatility.
Late 2017 saw the return of the old school oversized denim jacket with the occasional graphic art either professionally done or by the owners themselves. Close to a year later, this trend seems to be on a rollercoaster that only goes up, with the demand for them increasing with every new way it can be worn, be it ripped, cropped, or even a mix of different types of denim in one jacket. The thing with denim brought forth a new initiative for students to start making their own money by decorating and selling denim jackets. An example of such an initiative is a local brand known as MOLLEYSTER EXCLUSIVE CLOTHING (pronounced “Molester”) who sell their jackets between the price ranges of R350 and R500 depending on the design and type of jacket.
“Mollyester because our jackets seduce or molest the customer’s eyes… either way, we still making you look. like it or nah”
-Brian McNeezy (representative of MOLLYESTER Exclusive Clothing)
The denim jacket has come to the rescue of many a Kovsie student who have fallen victim to “I have nothing to wear”. This jacket is useful in that it’ll keep you warm when it’s cold, convenient for a warm day, and has secret inside pockets that make it easy for girls to carry around their phones and keys without having to switch out their leggings for a pair of sweatpants. All this while finding a balance between keeping one up to date as well as old school at the same time.
Denim in general has made a great comeback the last couple months and the UFS runway (Thakaneng Bridge) is constantly seeing new ways to wear denim- anything really… Whether it’s an all denim outfit or wearing a piece of an old pair of jeans as a choker, this trend has students getting in touch with their creativity.
“I like how cool it is… I mean it’s hard not to look hot wearing one. So I guess they’re like totally Cot right now… Get it? Cool and hot…”
– Tebogo Malema
Continue reading “Thats So Hot Right now (Blog post 2; Assignment 2)”
Human Rights Day is a day of tribute mostly to the Sharpville Massacre on 21 April 1960 that followed the peaceful protests against the pass laws while Freedom day is an annual celebration of the first free and fair, democratic elections that were held in South Africa where Nelson Mandela was voted into office. Both these days were to commemorate two of the biggest days during the struggle towards a liberated society in a country that embraces equal rights for all.
A factor that we pay special attention to is that the rights stipulated and protected in the constitution and Bill of Rights come hand in hand with the responsibilities bestowed upon the citizens to ensure the security of peace. This comes as an extension of the affirmation of the democratic values of equality, freedom and human dignity. The state is subject to protect, respect promote and fulfill these rights in The Bill with the consideration of their limitations. These limitations are how the responsibilities that are linked to these rights are manifested in The Bill.
an example of one such provision is found in Section 16 which states the popularly sought after right at each individual covered by the constitution may freely express themselves in almost any way, be it through media, artistic expression, scientific or academic research, amoungst others. This right is free and fair to everybody AS LONG AS said expression does not extend to the incitement of violence, war or discriminatory hate.
It is then the responsibility of each individual to protect the next person’s – as well as their own – right to human dignity, which prohibits subjecting one to hate speech and/or any such discrimination.
When it comes to media, one needs to make the distinction between a private individual and political and public figures. This is so that one can calculate the extent of the compromising effect that comes with the risk of defamation of character.
The media does have a certain amount of leeway where public figures are defamed because of the responsibility of the media to keep the people informed, these people have to accept the risk of criticism; even with the consequence of defaming their good name, this includes organs of state. When it comes to private individuals, the courts will generally afford the victim the advantage.
As a form of social responsibility, environmemtal friendliness is something that each member of a community needs to strive towards to ensure that they acknowledge their responsibility in terms of the right they have to an environment that is not harmful to their health ir well being. This right is stipulated in section 24 of The Constitution.
This is yet another freedom and privilege that we are granted by law, and each citizen has to accept the responsibilities that come along with this such as reusing and recycling to ensure eco-friendly plastic and waste usages.
With very many of the rights we are granted as South Africans, as well as internationally the most sustainable way to make sure we each protect our rights as well others’ is to live selflessly.
“Abide by the golden rule and do unto others as you would like to have done upon you”
Setting this principle in motion is one of the many sure-fire ways to make sure that we encourage others to not only excercise their rights, but acknowledge the responsibilities that come along with them.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of the 2018 Stage-Door are… *imaginary drumroll* KAREE & TSWELOPELE!!!”
The first time finalists House Tswelopele who was paired up with House Karee won top prize in three categories including best dramatic presentation and best creative presentations which were new categories introduced this year.
After about a month of late rehearsals and two nights of rotations, seven of the fifteen stagedoor groups went through to the finals of the Stage-Door competition.
The finalist groups were:
Imperium & Marjolein (“Imperijolein”)
The morning of the 17th of March had the first years correcting and polishing their acts for the big night. Round the clock sound checks and some litres of ginger tea later, the lights on the stage in Kopanong auditorium (formerly known as Kovsie Kerk) went down and it was time for the show to begin. As the auditorium filled up, Within Dance Group began the show with a hip-hop item in all black and traditional African face paint to introduce the predominantly South African themed show.
Together, Tswelopele and Karee decided to put together a play about the very much debated and touching on-goings around the Marikana massacre from 2012. The play consisted of two old men sitting in a tavern some time in the future and
reminiscing over the old days. The group used a true-to-self approach to the music choices for their play where they chose to sing “struggle songs”, to enhance their play. The play was accompanied by a wide variety of artistic genius, from gumboot dancing miners to the Cello playing prostitute and an amazing assortment of voices, Kapele’s win was well deserved.
Coincidentally, “Kapele” in Sesotho means “in front”
While Khayalami and Armentum won second place and “BeyLief” won third, every act of the night was spectacular and left a lesson to be learned. The 2018 First Years can rest assured that they left quite a mark when it comes to putting up a spectacular Stage-Door.
Photos courtesy of UFS SRC Arts & Culture Facebook page
“The pulse of these veins
Trickling down
Through thou fingers and
Bleeding through the pen…
The ink be thy blood,
The words thy soul’s comfort and
Thy grace thus enamor’d”
SupermarketFlowers_za
©2018 L.S Maphatwana
You entice me
You show yourself and just as I believe I have you, you slip through my fingers
It’s kinda hard to catch water when I’m already submerged
See, I drown in trying to find you amongst the others
Again, it’s hard to catch water when I’m already submerged
You show up and disappear in between all the Raging words in my mind
I can never seem to catch you, and I keep on falling for it
I should probably tell you that I’m really bad at sports, but this chase seems worth it.
This writer’s block digests my creativity,
Spits it out in a pool of alphabet soup
And dislexia befriends me.
You will, fall upon their freshly groomed ears
While you make me believe my rendition of you is unworthy.
You piss me off when you crash down on me in the middle of the night and try as I may to store you away until I can put you to paper, with ink the color of the inferno I find myself in everytime I try to remember you
Dear words in my head:
I– you’re simply rude
And you know what else you do..?
You’re so good at Disappear that many know you exist, but few consider you because of your seamless complexity.
You’re so beautiful,
And a creation that makes me believe that there has got to be a God
A creation that makes me believe that that God believes in me
A kind of belief that makes me certain I can find you…
But all the same–
You know how God loves a challenge.
© 2017 L.S Maphatwana
Let’s take a walk
Down on the ravine
Have a conversation about the marines
Let’s take a walk
Actually, let’s go on an escapade
A trip already paid
Forget everything and everyone
Even each other if we need to
You need to find you
And if that means you need to forget about me then please…
It’s not about me
Well the ‘me’ in this scenario would be you
So I guess it’s not about the ‘me’ in you.
But wait,
The sea is calling you;
The magic is in you;
I love you;
My point is
You need to look inward
To live outward
So let’s take a walk
And I’ll meet you halfway.
© 2016 L.S Maphatwana
Why does it have to be so hard to be honest with people? Its really crappy that we cant be completely open with people because of rejection. Like, “Hey, I like you, a lot. Genuine. No joke. I go crazy thinking about you all day long. Can’t even change my profile picture without wondering what you would think of it. ” and what do you get? “Sorry bruh, I thought we were just friends. I don’t like you like that tho… but we can still be friends” accompanied by three months of silence.
I mean, how are we supposed to know how to behave around people when stuff goes down like that?
If this business swings both ways please enlighten me because this is literally why girls will never be 100% honest with anyone. It’s the fear of rejection that keeps us in the dark about pretty much everything in your life from the minute you turn 13. And our minds will literally go on adventures so deep your world almost revolves around it.
Personally, I really hate this part right here.
© 2016 L.S Maphatwana
I think about him way too much
I think about him when I brush my teeth and how fun it would be of we did that together.
I think about him when I comb my hair and how he’ll run his fingers through my hair.
I think about him when I get dressed, wondering what he would say if he were to see me not-completely-naked.
I think about him when I walk -I look at my feet/shoes when I walk- and wonder if he notices they’re new.
I think about him when I go through my timelines, because he never posts anything (but when he does my heart literally stops for a while).
I think about him when I study, cause then I won’t have to call my mom every time to go through it all of he were here.
I think about him at 15:30… because he’s just on my mind.
I think about him during DMC’s, because his go on forever and I love-hate it.
I think about him when I write… like right now, because I’m obsessed with him__(and writing of course)
I think about him when I get cold, because it could be snowing and I wouldn’t be cold around him.
I think about him when my eyes itch, cause I remember how much he used to gaw at mine.
I think about him when I realise my use of unusual words, cause he’d always pick it up.
I think about him at 11:11… Because I always wish for him.
See?? I think about him utterly too much and it’s wrong. Regardless of what’s between us his heart is in another person’s arms. His thoughts are about someone who isn’t me. And those beady eyes… are layed to rest on someone else.
But the day will come when I don’t think about him all the time… and seeing him won’t make my world hit the brakes… when going to bed at night doesn’t take 30 minutes because I’m busy fantasizing how he would hold me, and then end up hugging Bobby for dear life (because I don’t wanna cry about it) as I fall asleep… when I won’t wake up every morning chiding my subconscious for not giving me a dream about him, and then scolding my consciousness for wanting that… when I won’t have to write to acknowledge my addiction to heartache… I know that day will come
And when that day comes__ when it comes. I just… can’t wait for it.
© 2016 L.S Maphatwana
