sida îtse

single channel HD video, colour, stereo sound
50.53 min
2018

Sida Îtse captures the teaching and learning process of the Khoe language Khoekhoegowab between Bradley van Sitters and Judith Westerveld. Van Sitters, as a heritage activist, is the initiator of the Khoikhoi Language Revitalisation Initiative in Cape Town and teaches the language Khoekhoegowab. Van Sitters composed personalized language lessons based on a text that he felt needed to be heard and reflected on. He selected two prayers both called the Our Father (Sida Îtse), however, one is the indigenous Khoikhoi prayer and the other the Christian prayer by the same name. The learning process also included following Khoekhoegowab language classes that Van Sitters teaches at Stellenbosch University as part of the !AL-OM Aboriginal Customary Council Stellenbosch Taal Projek, organized by Karel King, Estelle Pikkeur and Timo !Ngonnemaoa and attended by many participants. Through the prayers, the language learning process and the dialogue that unfolds concerning the history of the language and the people who speak it, the film addresses the violent colonial history that binds the Netherlands and South Africa, as well as providing attempts to reimagine present and future interactions.

screenings

International Mother Tongue Day, symposium IZIKO South African Museum, Cape Town (2019); Heritage Day, IZIKO South African Museum, Cape Town (2018); Stellenbosch University (2018); The Dream of a Common Language, Lumen Travo, Amsterdam (2018).

CREDITS

Director: Judith Westerveld
Cinematography: Judith Westerveld & Tijs de Bie
Editor: Judith Westerveld
Sound: Judith Westerveld
Colour correction: Ivo van Stiphout
Featuring: Bradley van Sitters, Judith Westerveld, participants of the !AL-OM Aboriginal Customary Council Stellenbosch Taal Projek

Thank you to Bradley van Sitters, !AL-OM Aboriginal Customary Council Stellenbosch Taal Projek leaders Karel King, Estelle Pikkeur and Timo !Ngonnemaoa and all the participants of the Khoekhoegowab languages classes.

Realised with support of the Mondriaan Fonds www.mondriaanfonds.nl
Distributed by LIMA www.li-ma.nl and ARGOS www.argosarts.org

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