SPAM 5 "Ils ont partagé le monde, plus rien ne m'étonne"

Jennifer from IWS spoke on episode 5 of SPAM: A radio program of undesired-desired messages. The Afrika Diva Collectif activates four spaces in Germany (Berlin and Halle a.d. Saale) and the D.R. Congo (Kinshasa and Goma) to discuss connections and disconnections, colonial repercussions, im-/possible ways of interacting beyond colonial power structures and other spam.

Spam are all the undesired messages which are sent to us, which we may or may not open but which nevertheless influence our lives, connect us and tell a story of our contemporary. Understood this way, we can for instance call the Congo conference of 1884–1885 one of the biggest spams of human history — sent out to millions of people before the internet or the idea of spam even emerged.

With “Ils ont partagé le monde, plus rien ne m’étonne” (“They divided the world, nothing surprises me anymore”), Nyabinghi Lab takes up a core thought of SPAM’s concept; to think of the Berlin Conference 1884/1885 as one of the biggest historical and ongoing spams that Africa has received. This podcast explores fragments in the commemoration of the Berlin Conference in the city of Berlin, by following the traces of both state, refugee activist and cultural events that reflected on the ongoing impact of colonial violence and the arbitrary drawing up of borders that largely remain in place today. The podcast invites artists, activists and curators to reflect on their efforts to make visible Germany’s entanglement with this violent history that profoundly impacts our contemporary experiences.

In loving memory of Hyacienth Nguh Tebie’s honourable legacy.

Note: The title of this contribution is a reference to the song of the same name by Tiken Jah Fakoly.

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MORE INFORMATION: afrikadiva.org/spam/projects/spam-5/