Decolonisation of the African festivalscape: festivals for whom? (conceptual paper)

Abstract

The African festivalscape has yet to be traversed from the angle of decoloniality, which points to it requiring some ‘unmaking’ and ‘remaking’, to transform it into an entity relatable to its environments. Thus, the lagging behind of the African sphere in festival development may be attributed to a misunderstanding of the ‘African festival’ construct. This is symptomatic of the residue of colonial hangover observed through systems that still personify former colonisers. This conceptual study seeks to advance festival theory development, by offering insights on festival coloniality deterrents and potential opportunities that may accrue from the decolonisation of the African festivalscape.