Lyrical Pilgrimage Open Mic
TRANSFORMATION & The Art Of Storytelling
We strategically chose this to harmonise with our storyteller community in Cape Town which previously clashed with the last Wednesdays and the infamous Paviliun Puisi open mic in Jakarta on last Saturdays. We also shifted the time in order to better align the time zones of these nations so that we can more earnestly share, collaborate, exchange, create and express our perspectives through freedom of the arts.
Proceeds from the last session went towards successfully completing 50 COVID-19 natural health immune boosting remedy packs for the elderly in Salt River, Cape Town. Please enquire for video detailing the contents and heart-warming photos of the recipients I will happily share! With the onset of Winter and predicted peak in COVID-19 we would like to raise a next batch of Imsyer Immune support which is recommended as one of the leading varieties to get by Pharmacist Ashraf Banderker. These are organised in collaboration with the Salt River Heritage Society and Salt River CAN.
The theme for this month will be TRANSFORMATION with two guest acts from London and Cape Town powerfully using The Art Of Storytelling. This is very exciting to have simply one of the best storytellers on our platform, Jumana Moon, and ordinarily known as a Photographer and videographer, Nashad Soeker, and avid supporter of RM NPO events debut his storybook with images “Cathy Catapillar”. Be prepared to be taken on another magical journey and be inspired to share yourself!
Our guest Artists for this event
6th June 2020
Jumana Moon
LONDON, UK
Jumana Moon is a traditional storyteller with a great love of stories of all kinds. Since her childhood stories have been her greatest passion, they are, she says, ‘my favourite things’. Jumana grew up with a rich diet of folk tales, mythology and faerie tales. She grew up in rural England and has a special interest in stories about the land and the natural world.
Aged 18, Jumana travelled to Jordan and Palestine. She became interested in Arabic language and culture and went on to complete a BA Honours degree in Arabic, travelling to Egypt & Yemen during this time. It was during her BA studies that Jumana began studying the Quran, which quickly moved from an academic exercise to a spiritual one and she embraced Islam at the age of 21.
Jumana had a great deal to learn about her new faith and of course the stories were a crucial pathway to understanding more. Jumana began her path into storytelling after meeting other faith based storytellers and being invited to tell stories in a public interfaith setting.
Jumana has a particular love for stories from Islamic tradition- stories from sacred text (Quran & Hadeeth) as well as the wealth of folktales, wisdom and comedic ones. Jumana has been finding, researching and developing these stories for over a decade now. As a woman of faith, Jumana is dedicated to emphasising and drawing out the feminine voice in her stories, whether they are stories from sacred texts, devotional poetry or folktales.
Jumana tells stories in schools, madrasas, museums, at festivals and a wide range of community events - wherever a story is called for! She believes in the power of stories & creativity to bring people together and to help us understand ourselves as well as each other. Jumana is also a school based child psychotherapist, working with mixed arts media and creative processes to support and facilitate psychological and emotional healing.
Nashad Soeker
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Nashad Soeker, 46yr old is a husband of 23 years, father of three and a freelance photographer.
A couple of years ago, Soeker reminisces “I realised I couldn’t keep doing the same things in my life yet hoping and praying for a different outcome (apparently this is the definition of insanity… and my reality at that time).
I knew I needed change in every aspect of my life, I had to do things differently, create new patterns and change my future. I tried various self-improvement exercises and was inspired by a Fred DeVito quote “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”.
Some of the lessons I learned were that I had to IMMEDIATELY STOP living in the past (this causes depression), nor living in the future (this causes anxiety), overcome adversities, challenges, obstacle and stop running from fear, instead live in the present moment and know that no matter what happens I am going to learn a lesson.”
Cathy Catapillar - This story is about the transition in Soeker’s life where he has started to show more GRATITUDE in his life, be more MINDFUL, replace TV and newspaper with something more beneficial and he needed a mentor to guide him.
He says “I also knew I needed to be ME and that one day I will be the leader and a mentor to my family and others... I love how Einstein said it”:
“try not to become of man of success, but rather a man of value"
