My Fulbright In Kingstonby Afreen Akhter, 2006-2007, Jamaica
I
stepped into Kingston, Jamaica after a rigorous
bout in the concrete jungle of New York City. I
was completely thrown. I’d never
inhabited a place where I was caught in so much
earth. Mountains stretched above me on every
horizon, and the roads were lined with greenery so
vivid I could swear I was awash in a
painting. As I grew to know the
country better, I became more aware of the stark
mix of prosperity and poverty in Kingston.
The dichotomy is aggravated because of the size of
Kingston. In this tiny urban sphere, I
witnessed the most intense economic disparity on a
daily basis.  | | | Afreen Akhter, Jamaica,
2006-2007 | |
My
project is to study the use of theater as a
vehicle for social empowerment and inter- and
intra-community peace building. Alongside my
independent research, I’m working with a
phenomenal theater collective
called SISTREN. SISTREN was born in the
infant climate of “democratic
socialism” of the late 1970’s.
It originated in the thick of a political system
that supported grassroots movements and
rediscovered the voice and power of the working
class. For years, SISTREN was able to
produce edgy, provocative theater that challenged
conventional notions of “women.”
Given the innumerable twists and turns of the
Jamaican political climate, SISTREN
has struggled and succeeded in the many years
since its founding. My work with them lies
in program outreach.
With the aid of the vibrant founders of
SISTREN (who oft-times fly about the main office
screeching American oldies at the top of their
lungs), I’ve been working in the poorest
parts of Kingston. I’ve spent most of
my time, thus far, as a director of a
women’s drama group in a community called
Hannah Town. The Hannah Town women are,
invariably, a combative, lively bunch. Most
rehearsals have moments of violent outbursts,
either verbal or physical in nature, which have
become easier to mitigate with time. Ironically,
their real fire comes out in those moments they
perform. I
remember my first street theatre performance with
them quite vividly. They stepped out of
bounds of their enclave to an adjacent ghetto,
clad in costumes that were bright and
revealing. Despite the decades of conflict
between the two ghettos, and the innumerable lives
lost on both sides, they performed on the opposing
ghetto’s raw streets. In those
minutes, their passion and love of the craft
became truly apparent. The response was
unbelievable. The opposing ghetto thronged
the pseudo-stage and cried praise
throughout. At the end, both communities
came together to discuss the piece’s social
import, and had dinner. It was a profound
moment. Since then, we’ve
performed on many other streets, for the Prime
Minister, the leader of the Opposition Party, and
have many performances to come. Alongside
Hannah Town, I’m attempting to start up
similar theater groups in other Kingston ghettos
and implement literacy projects with members of
the collectives. My time as a Fulbrighter,
which is far from being finished, has been
uncanny.
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