AM23 Social Activities
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
The committee is delighted to welcome attendees of the AM to the folowing social events.
Exhibition “Walk for Change, Reflections”
Join renowned expressionist abstract artist Ntsikelelo Mzivombu for an immersive artistic experience. This is an an opportunity for you to sublimate your experience of the week and for an exploration of the unconscious through art. Read more (ISPSO website)
Game Drives
The venue offers game drives (safaris) which are optional and may be booked and paid for directly with 26 degrees South on arrival. The game drives will afford you an opportunity to enjoy the abundant fauna and flora of the South African bush. You’ll enjoy the sight of zebra and wildebeest roaming on the African plains and if you are very lucky you might get to see the resident white rhinos too. The springbok, our token antelope, and the graceful giraffe with their elegant long necks also makes up the menagerie of wildlife to enjoy. Bird lovers will have an opportunity to witness exquisite bee-eaters, raptors, and many other bird species. The drives are facilitated by experienced guides who offer a wealth of knowledge to make for a fascinating experience. We encourage you to make use of this opportunity.
Visit to Soweto - Wednesday 28th June
For those in residence on Wednesday the 28th of June there will also be an opportunity to visit Soweto for an immersive experience of African life. The committee is planning to include a visit the kraal of the late Credo Mutwa, a revered African Sangoma in the Zulu tradition, and holder of deep spiritual knowledge. Credo authored several books on African mythology and was honored with an USIBA award by the South African Department of Arts and Culture for his work in Indigenous Wisdom.
On the evening of the visit to Credo Mutwa’s village, the committee has planned an interactive experience with traditional African Sangomas. While Sangomas take their guidance from the Ancestors and can therefore not be coerced into performing rituals, the committee hopes for the opportunity to witness and engage in the ancient practice of bone throwing. The throwing of bones, with the blessing of the Ancestors, is a form of divination to access hidden meaning and truths to be revealed to consciousness.
Reception by the Board - Thursday 29th June
On the eve of members day on Thursday the 29th of June, the board will host a reception for the members of ISPSO. Details coming soon.
Drumming Circle - Friday 30th June
The committee will be arranging a drumming circle on Friday the 30th. In the words of John Lockely, a Sangoma with the totem of the leopard, the primal drum beat of all life is the beat of the heart. Drumming circle participants are split into groups with each group being taught a specific drum beat to play on a djembe drum. When all the groups come together, the magic of Africa comes alive in a cacophony of tones and rhythms that becomes the life song of the group-as-a-whole. We invite you to lose yourself to the drumming circle and reach beyond the heartbeat of the individual to feel our collective life.
Gala Dinner - Saturday 1st July
The Gala Dinner will take place on Saturday evening and marks a special occasion to celebrate ISPSO and enjoy the warmth of friendship in the psychoanalytic community. Please bring something African to wear to the Gala.