Established in 2017, Decolonise Fest is an annual non-profit DIY festival, collectively organised by, and dedicated to promoting, punx of colour; something we fully support here at Get In Her Ears. This year, as with most large events in this current situation, they’ve been forced to cancel and so have moved online to create a Covid-friendly version of the festival.
This week, from the 1st to 6th September, they will be hosting a series of workshops, panel events and performances.
Workshops will include a Shadow Sistxrs Fight Club workshop involving tantric breathwork, self-care and martial arts, as well as a workshop on Black and Brown queer world building led by Screaming Toenail vocalist and celebrated artist Jacob V Joyce. They will also host a panel on Global Punx of Colour featuring punks from around the world talking about their local scenes and communities.
In addition to these super insightful workshops, live performances will come from New Orleans no wave glam punks Special Interest, anti-colonial Kenyan punk band Crystal Axis, “South Asian” “American” “Punks” (est. 2006) The Kominas, London-based alt-americana act DeLila Black, electronic synth punk artist PRNCSS and post-punk Netherlands-based act Lifeless Past.
Tickets are free, but donations encouraged. Find more information about tickets and the festival here.
In the absence of any ‘proper’ indoor events at the moment, this online extravaganza from Decolonise Fest sounds too good to miss! We feel that organisations like Decolonise Fest are vital right now; creating spaces that advocate for emerging artists of colour, foster a community of like-minded people, connect punx of colour to global struggles against the legacy of colonialism and indulge in a love of punk together.
Full online Decolonise Fest schedule below:
Tuesday 1st September
Shadow Sistxrs presents: Entering into the Serpent: Dialoguing with Kali
Clem leads us through a journey of Tantric breathwork, bringing us into contact with the Goddess of Revolution, our Divine Mother, Kali. Monique will then teach a few simple martial arts techniques that will allow us to physically embody the principles of power, protection and pleasure.
Wednesday 2nd September
Black and Brown Queer World Building
Join Jacob V Joyce for a workshop mapping the future through collaborative poetry and writing exercises. This workshop draws on speculative fiction writing techniques to facilitate collaborative envisioning of a queer decolonial future.
Thursday 3rd September
Crystal Axis + The Kominas + DeLila Black
Join us for sessions from:
Crystal Axis: Anti-colonial Kenyan punk band
The Kominas: “South Asian” “American” “Punks” (est. 2006)
DeLila Black: London-based alt-americana act
Friday 4th September
Special Interest + Lifeless Past + PRNCSS
Join us for sessions from:
Special Interest: New Orleans no wave glam punks
Lifeless Past: Post-punk Netherlands-based act
PRNCSS: Electronic synth punk artist based in London
Sunday 6th September
Join Decolonise Fest for a panel event with punx of colour around the world discussing their local scenes, how punk relates to their identity, how BLM has affected their activism and scene and how to create a global punx of colour community.
