A drama-based approach to traces of colonialism in Berlin and Lomé

Participants from Germany and Togo made links visible and voices audible

TRACES

Partner country: Togo

Partner organisations: Compagnie Artistique Carrefour and ASA-FF e. V.

Duration: January – November 2019

SDG: 16. Peace and justice

The TRACES project was initiated by Kollektiv X Perspektiven and Compagnie Artistique Carrefour in cooperation with ASA-FF e. V. Based on Sustainable Development Goal 16, “Peace and justice”, it involved 15 young Germans and Togolese who investigated traces of colonialism in their countries in an effort to trigger a postcolonial debate. As well as learning a great deal about colonialism themselves, they shared their results with the general public in a series of theatrical performances.

SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development

Looking at the colonial era from the German and Togolese perspectives

Compagnie Artistique and Kollektiv X Perspektiven had already collaborated on other art and drama projects focused on issues concerning critical assessment of power structures and participants’ own stances. 2019 saw the start of a new joint project, TRACES. The aim was for 12 young adults to explore in depth how the German-Togolese relationship has developed since the colonial era.

The preparatory phase for the project began in January 2019 and laid the foundations for a learning atmosphere built on mutual trust. The participants got to know each other by working together on cross-continental exercises. For example, working in German-Togolese tandem pairs, they described to each other how they got home at the end of the day. This gave everyone a better idea of the everyday situation in each other’s country. Both groups were already exploring the topic of colonialism. The group from Togo talked to a descendant of King Mlapa III., who in 1884 signed the treaty with Germany that created the German protectorate. The German group visited an exhibition entitled “The Dead, as far as [] can remember”, which examined colonial aggression and anti-colonial resistance.

Looking for traces in participants’ everyday lives

During their exchange visits, the group went on “postcolonial city tours” where the main question they considered was, “What colonial traces can still be seen in the city?” But they also took a critical look at people’s existing knowledge and the use of language, discussing how traces of colonialism are dealt with and the stories people tell about them in Potsdam and Togoville.

As well as exploring their own cities to demonstrate the link between colonial traces and their everyday lives, the participants considered personal items and the places they go and things they do on a daily basis. Together, they documented the experiences and thoughts they took away from their research and reflected on their results.

Four participants are standing in a cemetery. The gravestones and walls are white and the ground is sandy. Trees and the sky can be seen in the background. — Excursion to Wahala Cemetery.

From personal research to public theatrical performances

Inspired by their workshops and excursions, the participants wrote two plays. Working together, they reflected on what they had learned and used the input to devise scenes and a plot. At the performances of the plays in urban settings in Togo and Germany (and in workshops with Berlin University of the Arts), the participants presented their project and shared with others what they had learned.

The participants are standing in a row, hand in hand, ready to take a bow before an audience. The audience is applauding. The photograph was taken in an urban setting with terraced housing in the background. — As well as the unique experiences participants had on the project, it was the applause at the end of the performances in Erfurt that made participating worthwhile.

Lots of participants are lying or sitting on the floor, each writing on their own piece of white paper. — The workshop at Berlin University of the Arts was an opportunity for lots of participants to explore the topic of postcolonialism, reflect on their own thoughts and share ideas and opinions.

Some participants are lying flat on the ground in the rehearsal for their play. Other participants are bending over the people on the ground. An orange building and trees can be seen in the background. — Working together at the rehearsals for the performance in Lomé.

Two participants are sitting on a wall, dyeing props yellow for the play. — The participants made their own props for the play.

Participants are buying clothes and fabric at a market to use as props in the performances. — A trip to Hezranawoé market yielded suitable fabric for the scenery and costumes.

The group is standing on the stage. There is a black wall covered in chalk drawings. The photograph shows the participants from behind. They are wearing dark trousers and brightly coloured jackets. — A highlight for the project group - presenting the results of their collaboration at the performance in Berlin.

Critical whiteness and empowerment

The different perspectives of the participants from the two countries enriched the project but each participant was also able to contribute input based on their own individual stories and experiences.

What you learn from schoolbooks is really different to what you learn when you interact with people.

The different perspectives of the participants from the two countries enriched the project but each participant was also able to contribute input based on their own individual stories and experiences. As a result, the entire group benefited considerably from the various positions regarding SDG 16 and the individual participants took away new experiences from the project. “I found a sense of complicity with participants who, like me, were born in Europe and experience racism.

For people like me, colonialism is a very personal topic and triggers a lot of emotions, some of them very conflicting,” one participant from Berlin reported.

“It has enriched my life, really broadened my view of things and I’ve learned a lot. Because what you learn from schoolbooks is really different to what you learn when you interact with people. I relearned my country’s colonial history. It was quite challenging and I wondered why we didn’t learn about it earlier,” said a participant from Lomé.

Participants on a trip to the seaside. Some people are sitting in a boat, others are still standing on the beach. They are smiling at the camera and some of them have their arms raised in the air. — Valeria Stocker

The impact of TRACES on the participants’ everyday lives

Even though the project has come to an end, it had a lasting impact and gave participants and audiences alike food for thought on the topic of postcolonialism. One participant’s takeaway is particularly encouraging: “The project made me keenly aware that colonialism is not a chapter in a history book that you can simply close - presuming it is actually covered thoroughly in the first place. Rather, colonial traces can be found in so many things, so many acts and in our language and they need to be deconstructed. I participate differently in debates now and feel more confident about raising supposedly awkward and annoying issues.”

The joint project struck a chord with the adolescents and young adults who participated and their exploration of colonialism and its repercussions is not over even if TRACES is. The next project on the topic of responsible consumption and traces of colonialism in global trading relationships is already being planned.

The participants are standing in a row on the stage. There is chalk writing on the walls and floor. The participants are shouting something There is a mask on the floor in front of the group. — The participants on the TRACES project learnt to take a firm and resolute stance as participants in the postocolonial debate.