[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.23″ background_color=”rgba(66,66,66,0)” custom_padding=”40px||40px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||40px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”20px||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.9″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”40px” text_line_height=”1.3em” header_font_size=”20px” header_line_height=”2em” header_3_font_size=”21px” header_3_line_height=”2em” background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/afrovibes-2026-11-preview-banner.png” background_size=”contain” text_orientation=”center” height=”160px” custom_padding=”40px||||false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/line-up-2026\/” text_font_size_tablet=”30px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
PROGRAM 2026<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.9″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”40px” text_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font_size=”21px” header_3_line_height=”2em” header_4_font_size=”20px” header_4_line_height=”2em” background_color=”#342a20″ background_enable_image=”off” text_orientation=”center” height=”160px” custom_padding=”40px||||false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/agenda-2026\/” text_font_size_tablet=”30px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
AGENDA<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#342a20″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”20px” custom_padding=”0px|||5px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]Keynote Lecture & Panel Discussions[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”35px” text_line_height=”1.1em” custom_padding=”0px|||5px|false|false” text_line_height_tablet=”” text_line_height_phone=”1em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]Rooted Practice: How Afrovibes Curates from the Soil Up by Jay Pather[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#342a20″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.26.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Jay-Pather-Portrait-programma.jpg” title_text=”Jay Pather Portrait programma” _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.26.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/\u00a9meLe-yamomo-2021-programma.jpg” title_text=”Copyright: meL\u00ea yamomo (2022)” _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#342a20″ height_tablet=”” height_phone=”” height_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”10px||10px||true|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ffff00″ height=”120px” height_tablet=”120px” height_phone=”auto” height_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||0px|20px|false|false” border_radii=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#342a20″ max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”5px||5px||true|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Amsterdam | UvA
Mon\u00a0 28 September, 16h30 – 18h00<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/aihr.uva.nl\/content\/events\/2026\/10\/afrovibes.html” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Free admission” _builder_version=”4.27.9″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”15px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#634442″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”10px” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#342a20″ max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”5px||5px||true|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Amsterdam | UvA
Fr\u00a0 2 October, 13h00 – 14h30 uur<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/aihr.uva.nl\/content\/events\/2026\/10\/afrovibes.html” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Free admission” _builder_version=”4.27.9″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”15px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#634442″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”10px” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#342a20″ max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”5px||5px||true|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Amsterdam | UvA
Fr 2 Ocober, 15h00 – 16h00<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/aihr.uva.nl\/content\/events\/2026\/10\/afrovibes.html” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Free admission” _builder_version=”4.27.9″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”15px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#634442″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”10px” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#342a20″ custom_padding=”10px||10px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”]The theme of this year\u2019s festival, Soil | Soul considers how land has become increasingly utilitarian and transactional, the cause for ongoing war, and displacement of thousands globally. Unchecked extraction has also turned our world into an increasingly vulnerable place. In African worldviews,\u00a0the land is a sacred, spiritual entity rather than a mere economic commodity, a link between the living, the dead, and the unborn. It serves as a repository for ancestral spirits, where rituals, ancestral graves, and sacred natural sites all maintain ecological, cultural, and cosmological harmony.<\/p>\n
Contemporary African artists have increasingly turned their art practice to land, home and heritage bringing contemporary forms to ancient wisdom. This understanding is given another inflection in this moment: for centuries, the Mercator projection rendered Africa smaller than it is, a cartographic distortion that mirrors broader patterns of wilful diminishing. As the United Nations moves to correct this misrepresentation, the question of how Africa is seen, and by whom, becomes newly urgent. Pather reflects on how this moment shapes curatorial practice, how the Soil | Soul theme emerged from listening to the artists themselves, and how curation becomes an act of custodianship: holding, shaping, and transmitting what the work carries, while navigating the institutional and geopolitical forces that continue to push against it.<\/p>\n
Using an audio visual presentation of soundscape, video and images, Pather also presents a proposal for a new grammar of curation and searches for ways to bridge gaps in how one takes care of ideas of social justice, of artists, real time art, thematic underpinnings and diverse audiences.<\/p>\n
This program is presented in collaboration with UvA and hosted by meL\u00ea yamomo, an Assistant Professor of New Dramaturgies, Media Cultures, Artistic Research and Decoloniality at the University of Amsterdam. As an artist-scholar, he explores sonic migrations, queer aesthetics and post\/decolonial approaches to sound and knowledge. He is also the author of Sounding Modernities and the project leader of several international research projects exploring colonial sound archives and decolonial practices.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]Jay Pather is a curator, artist and academic, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Cape Town and Visiting Professor at Princeton University. He has curated major international festivals and exhibitions, including for the Smithsonian\u2019s National Museum of African Art. His work explores the intersections of art, space, politics and social justice, with a particular focus on contemporary African artistic practices.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]Panel 1: 2 October, 13:00\u201314:30<\/strong> The panel features Nadia Beugr\u00e9, Yonela Makoba and Fatou Ciss\u00e9 and is moderated by Leil El Maslouhi.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.8″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]Panel 2: 2 October, 15:00\u201316:30<\/strong> The panel features Florent Mahoukou, Abdoulaye Tr\u00e9sor Konate, Jennifer Tosch and is moderated by Leil El Maslouhi.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PROGRAM 2026 DATE AND TICKETSAGENDA DAY BY DAYKeynote Lecture & Panel DiscussionsRooted Practice: How Afrovibes Curates from the Soil Up by Jay PatherAmsterdam | UvAMon\u00a0 28 September, 16h30 – 18h00Amsterdam […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-259450","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259450"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":259683,"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259450\/revisions\/259683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.wp-testen.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe Body as Archive: Embodied Knowledge, Lineage and the Griot Tradition
\nIn many African worldviews, the soil is not inert ground but a living site of memory, ancestral knowledge, and belonging. This panel asks how that understanding is carried and transmitted when land is lost, disrupted, or left behind – and proposes the body as one answer. With reference to the work of Nadia Beugr\u00e9 (Ivory Coast), Yonela Makoba (South Africa), and Fatou Ciss\u00e9 (Senegal), all presented at Afrovibes 2026, the discussion examines practices rooted in matrilineal spiritual lineages and the griot tradition. What does it mean to hold an archive in the body? How does artistic practice root itself in soil and what happens to that rootedness when the ground shifts?<\/p>\n
\nSoil as Source: Extraction, Citation and Knowledge from the Global South
\nAfrovibes 2026 asks what happens when people are separated from their origins – from the soil that carries their memory and identity. This panel extends that question into the domain of knowledge and artistic practice. Africa has long been treated as a source to be extracted from: land, labour, and now ideas. Practices rooted in African soil are absorbed into other contexts, reframed, and circulated without acknowledgment, as raw material, not cited knowledge. Drawing on the works presented at this year’s festival, the panel asks how we might move from extraction to genuine exchange, and what it means to cite – to recognize and credit – the ground from which a practice grows.<\/p>\n