I have found another contact!!!

It is about “Il Teatro dei Venti di Modena”. In 2011, in collaboration with the Machaka Association of Maputo, the guys of this association from Modena created a theatrical performance which went on stage both in Italy and in Mozambique and which dealt with the differences between the western rites related to weddings and the traditional African ones. It was about an exchange that connected the traditional African dances with the Italian techniques of staging and acting.

Stefano Tè and Francesca Figini come to Alcatraz, they are the promoters of this project of cooperation, and they also give me a lot of useful information: I am in possession of names of other theater groups, exact references.

Francesca tells me that the Mozambicans arriving in Italy, in December, suffered much from cold. “Their first emotional experience with Italy was to face the climate!” But to overcome this problem it was enough to provide them with heavy jumpers.

It must have been more difficult to manage other difficulties. They tell me that after the first moment of prevailing enthusiasm the differences between Europeans and Africans emerge. We have different paces, different ways of dealing with things, these need to be taken into account.

Their show was a success but I have the feeling that managing the project was not easy. I make a note of everything, even of the impressions and the emotions: they are as important as logistics information.