Photo Taken at Hillbrow Theatre
Sibonelo Sibembe Chairperson/Founder of (SIBEMBE CRAFT AND ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) ltd) is a young artist with an old soul born on the 16th December 1987 in the traditional coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal and grew up in Eastern Cape Province in a small village called Mount Frere and small town called Umthatha. With a majority of his childhood spent in the Eastern Cape Umthatha. He spent time with some traditional leaders of his village; this is where his love for the arts came to the surface. While escorting the Village Elders to visits to the King he would initiate the traditional songs and poetic out-callings. At the time he considered this as just fun; not knowing it was a calling.
As time went on, he developed his poetic and vocal abilities; this brought his hobby into an art he wanted to pursue as a career. At the time there were not that many artists who were in this field professionally. In his development he officiated in all traditional ceremonies held in the town of East Cape (Umthatha). This got him in contact with Traditional Royalty. This gave him the platform to enhance his craft even further as he was now performing for the Elders in the community and people who know and respect the craft.
Photo Taken @ Sun international Hotel Maslow: Sandton
Achievemements:
As time went on, Sibonelo moved to Johannesburg to further his art and to get more exposure and to be more exposed to the vastness of the art of Poetry and Soul. He established himself as one of the leading Poets in Hillbrow and surroundings and has recently been featured in a year-end function for future leaders held in Pretoria December 13th 2014(South African ultimate brand ambassador finals). He also opened on remembrance of Tata Mandela and World Social Forum on Migration held in Johannesburg, He also performed at the opening of Ndumiso Lindi show (DILUTED PEOPLE) a comedy show in Gold Reef City Theatre and lastly he performed at Meryfitz Square for Beat Coruption campaign that was organised by NUMSA.
These are great steps taken by a man who lost everything he once had when he got to Johannesburg. a man who spent a number of nights sleeping on the streets, while still not giving up on his dream. Currently working on his Debut Album which comprises of traditional spoken word and soulful hems.
Photo Taken @ Gold Reef City Theatre
SIBEMBE CRAFT AND ENTERTAINMENT
This group of artist who came together with vision of taking back the pride of their culture and for it to be upheld and have the grace and strength it once presented so well. With most youth mainly listening and imitating western artist and culture they now see their own culture as holding them back from what they see as artistic success. (SIBEMBE CRAFT AND ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) ltd) sees culture as gift that no man can take away from them nor anyone else, culture defines who you are and one should always embrace it wholeheartedly. Being from Xhosa clan, these artists take pride in their culture and are showing this not only through music and poetry but also in the way they live their lives, humble and respectful to all. What (SIBEMBE CRAFT AND ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) ltd) strives to do is to teach and remind Africans of their culture and its importance in their lives and the lives of those who are to come after them. With poetry, music and theatre plays they strive to teach all those around them about living and incorporating their respective cultures into the western lives they so want to live and not forsake who they were born to be. With a large number of youths currently searching for identity while they hold the greatest identity within themselves without realizing it, the shows that (SIBEMBE CRAFT AND ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) ltd) is proposing to hold will be to instill the confidence to all the youth and let them walk with pride while serving their culture. The plays and performances can be held throughout the year as they hold important teachings. The show will be directed by the artists themselves as they hold vision of the play and how it will benefit those it touches. The shows will need specific props as to fully portray the Xhosa culture in its bareness and this can only be done by someone who knows the culture to its core. The show needs little marketing as the artists involved in the play are marketing the show themselves by living and dressing to their culture. Put any person in the streets of Johannesburg dressed in their culture attire and people from that particular culture will stop you and ask you, who you are, where are you performing. No matter how much people want to conform to the western way of life, when they see a picture of where they come from they are automatically drawn to it. This is how they will be drawn to come and watch the performances, by one person embracing their culture.
Most people come to Johannesburg to search for a better life but the reality is not all of them get to get what they initially came to Johannesburg for and for some the only strength they get is a reminder of home. This will serve to that purpose, to bring them home of their hearts and give them the strength to fight on and make a success of what seems to be hopeless situation. This play will serve everyone, from children who want to learn more about their culture to adults who have been in Johannesburg so long that they crave a bit of home. This show also aims to teach those who don’t really understand the culture; you may have about twenty different cultures living under one roof. Go to any building that offers accommodation and you will find many cultures and you may find they don’t understand each other because of their different cultures
And through these plays we aim to unify those cultures through understanding.
Our Mission
To promote, encourage, develop and support African cultural activities.
Our Vision
To empower, enthuse and to release young people into the God given talents, lifting African pride through cultural activities
Photo taken Constitution Hill
Our Aims
We are based on promoting our South African culture to the youth and to build our African pride, to encourage and motivate South Africans to be more in love with their land and its culture, believing that it is an African responsibility to bring the pride of African culture back to African mind set by finding new and innovation ways of encouraging those who are willing to take steps of liberation from the chains of mental poverty and loss of identity of our beautiful land of Africa, encouraging those who are still living under experience of darkness to fully believe that the light will shine.
Opening for Mr Zwelinzima Vavi @Constitution hill on World Social Forum on Migration
Contact Details:
Facebook: @Soulpoet
Twitter: @Soulpoet
Contact no: +27 822 96 1 598
Email: sibembe1@gmail.com
Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=296394597224351&l=6643795209341747756
Mr. V Ntlebi
Contact no: +2761 423 3127/+27 84 217 0545
Email: vusi_n@yahoo.com
