The Bir Lahjar cultural center in Tunisia has been transformed into a gigantic theatrical and musical spectacle during the ninth edition of Dream City.

For two weeks, artists from various countries will perform on stage. Using a form of Latin mass that employs traditional Congolese chants called Missa Luba, Congolese photographer Sammy Baloji immersed his audience in the history of the Kongo Kingdom before colonization.

I was interested in these topics simply because all Belgian colonial propaganda claims that Belgium brought civilization to the Congo. And therefore, it was more interesting to work in a period after the arrival of the Belgians to be able to offer traces of civilization, traces of political organization…” explains Sammy Baloji.

This story of the Kongo is interpreted by Fiston Mwanza Mujila in a theatrical performance, where this poet humorously questions the similarities between past and present history with the aim of generating questions in the viewer.

These letters of correspondence lead us to things that make us laugh, like the clothes that the king sends to his counterpart in the Congo, the civets that are sent to Portugal. It was important to question these events that continue to occur under other modalities in the form of humanitarian aid...", highlights Fiston Mwanza Mujila.

For the musical version of Missa Luba, Sammy Baloji has the collaboration of guitarist Pytshens Kambilo. A collaboration that was largely inspired by the famous Congolese rumba.

The ninth edition of Dream City will continue until October 8, with a renewed program that covers all tastes and ages.

Article source: Africanows.fr