Frozen Power, by Tanzanian artist Ian Mwaisunga, depicts the power struggles in present day Tanzania during Germany’s colonial rule. The piece premiered on 5 December 2024 at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin and ran until 8 December.
Swinging the silver pot of coffee back and forth, a dancer (Ulonzi Almasi) used the gesture to play with their weight. They moved with a joyful fluidity that resembled evaporating steam. Eventually they set it down, and said that they had a story to tell.
Mbwana Mtulia, a Tanzanian bassist, sat in the far right corner of the stage plucking the strings of a qanun, as two more dancers joined Almasi. The trio presented a refreshing, high energy blend of afro-contemporary steps and floorwork. They incorporated the cups into their movements, sometimes even intertwining themselves to trade with one another. At one point, Almasi left to bring out a stool. They placed it in the spotlit center of the stage, making it clear it was not just a stool, but rather a throne.
Objects hold energy, and when that energy is given a purpose, it’s also given power. This power remains, even when the object is taken from the people who established its significance. Countless cultural belongings1 from colonized countries are put on display in museums for their colonizers to admire. The Ethnologisches Museum, whose collection is on display at the Humboldt Forum, is one institution that has helped normalize this. However, the objects’ origin is often obscured. They are taken out of context, and their history is either rewritten, or disappears altogether. Berlin currently has more than 10,000 artifacts from Tanzania, which were ‘acquired’ during Germany’s colonial-era in present day Tanzania (1884–1918/19). These objects carry so much history that can only be told correctly from Tanzanian people themselves. Frozen Power, a piece choreographed by Ian Mwaisunga, strives to re-imagine some of these narratives, particularly those of the women from the Singida region, and their role in the anti-colonial resistance against German rule.
©Jimmy Ngenzi
Following the trio, we were introduced to the Queen, portrayed by Teddy Mtuta. They entered the stage wearing a black dress with a pink feathered collar, followed by another performer, dressed similarly. As the two moved in unison towards the center, the stage turned red, perhaps to signify the Queen’s strength, or the violence that was to come. When the Queen claimed the throne, they bumped their chest up, proudly. A dynamic quintet followed, their musicality highlighting the sudden jazz influence on the live music being played. After a moment of calm, Mtuta left, and the rest seemed enchanted with the throne, frozen from its power.
When the Queen came back, their movements were wild and frantic. They knew that their power was being threatened, and after what seemed like a deadly game of musical chairs, the Queen lost.
The throne wasn’t alone on stage for long, as another quickly claimed it. A bright red circle illuminated the floor around them, like a pool of blood. The energy of what was violently taken remained, and although the Queen was no longer present, their efforts still were. Many stories have been shared over a cup of coffee, some that are true, and some that aren’t. But those who know truth long for the restitution of their belongings, their history, and their power.
1Humboldt Forum preferred not to refer to the cultural belongings as ‘objects’, however mentioning them was essential in stating the author’s’ message.
Frozen Power by Ian Mwaisunga (Muda Africa) was presented from 5 to 8 December 2024 at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin.
