“It is not because the Indo-Chinese has discovered a culture of his own that he is in revolt. It is because "quite simply”, it was, in more than one way, becoming impossible for him to breathe.” Black Skin, White Mask.
― Frantz Fanon

“The day will come when history will speak. But it will not be the history which will be taught in Brussels, Paris, Washington or the United Nations…Africa will write its own history and in both north and south it will be a history of glory and dignity”. Letter from Thysville Prison to Mrs. Lumumba

– Patrice Lumumba

“The only way we'll get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world.”
― Malcolm X

The Institute of Social and Health Sciences (ISHS) participated in the annual decolonial winter school, which took place in Diepkloof and Sophia Town from the 29^th of July to the 2^nd of August 2025. The winter school was hosted by the BlackHouse Kollective (BHK), in collaboration with the Department of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut and UNISA’s ISHS. In these spaces rich in creative and political histories, we gathered once more in honour of Fanon, Lumumba, and X’s centenary. Through Fanon’s revolt, activists, spiritualists, artists, poets, scholars, high school students, community members, and authors all gathered from their different walks of life, both in South Africa and abroad. This cross-cultural gathering, wrapped in different linguistic garments, had us all sitting around the warm fire of the drum. A truly enriching and powerful instrument and bridge through time and space, allowing for seamless communication across the African continent through the Caribbean. Throughout history, drumming echoes forth as the fight towards revolution and cultural reclamation continues. 

The winter school had numerous international guests, with some joining online. Some of these guests who joined in person were: Mireille Fanon Mendès-France (co-chair of the Frantz Fanon Foundation), from Martinique; Professor Nelson Maldonado-Torres, (co-chair of the Franz Fanon Foundation & ISHS Academic associate); Puerto Rican Dr Maricruz Rivera Clemente (founder of Piñones Corporation Integrates (Corporación Piñones se Integra [COPI]); Marcos Peñalosa Pica [director of the Majestad Negra International Folkloric Ballet (del Ballet Folklórico Internacional Majestad Negra)].

Each day over the five days was marked by the presence of a guest of honour and carried a theme that opened spaces for dialogue, artistic expression, and community reflection. The first day set the tone with Mama Mme Konanani Seatlholo as the guest of honour. Centred on the theme A Black Love Tribute: Zondeni Sobukwe – The Mother of Azania and Patrice Lumumba, the day honoured the legacy of Black women’s resistance, particularly that of Mama Zondeni Sobukwe. Through artistic tributes, lectures, and moments of collective remembrance, participants were reminded of the power of women’s courage in sustaining liberation struggles. Day two shifted the focus to the student movements that defined the last decade. With Brenda Sesane as guest speaker, the theme “#RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall: A Decade Later” brought back reflections on how these movements not only reshaped higher education but also awakened a generation to the urgency of decolonial struggles.

The third day continued with Fanon Centennial Invocation: Breathing Fanon in Community. The day's proceedings were held by ISHS and BHK, facilitated by Zandi and Bongani. The day extended, celebrating Frantz Fanon’s centenary through film, spoken word, and international reflections on colonial trauma and Black love. Vuyiswa Mhlongo and a Deep Dale High School learner, who were in attendance, were invited to share their reflections at the end of the programme. 

On the fourth day, the Winter School turned towards building unity under the theme Concerning Blacks: Building Black Solidarity, with Gibo Pheto as guest speaker. Through workshops, panels, and storytelling, participants reflected on the possibilities and challenges of forging solidarity across different movements and generations. 

Panel discussion on stories of the Klipriver by Black Planetary Studies colleagues: Hugo Ka Canham, Sheron Masekoameng, Ncamisile Mbambo, and Relebogile Rasodi [left-right].

One of the highlights of the day was the participation of colleagues from the Black Planetary Project, who hosted a panel discussion on “Stories of the Klip River.” Their contribution grounded the conversation in lived experiences, memory, and the connections between local struggles and broader planetary concerns. In its entirety, the Winter School was more than a series of lectures and performances. It was a collective journey of remembering, questioning, and imagining anew – holding together the histories of resistance, the ongoing legacies of student activism, and the urgent need for Black solidarity in shaping futures beyond colonial entanglements.

The winter school opened every day with drumming rituals, ending with collective readings, documentary screenings, and live performances. Yet another culturally enriching winter school, connecting the human to nature, for as Malcolm X emphasises, we ought to see ourselves with other oppressed beings.

** By Mr Xolisa Gwadiso & Ms Sheron Mathlatse Masekoameng