Press Release
Soweto to Favela, a tale of two townships Ocean’s apart
TX: Friday, 17 October 2014 at 7PM on eKasi+ channel 105 on OpenView HD
Two communities, two continents and two journeys;
Soweto to Favela is a journey of discovery and exploration. Phillip Malepa and Sidney Tartaruga leave behind the comfort and familiarity of their respective townships to discover how others in similar spaces live across the seas.
Phillip makes his journey to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Sydney travels to Soweto, South Africa. Watch what transpires when the show premieres on Friday, 17 October at 7PM on eKasi+, channel 105 on OpenView HD.
In South Africa, the word township usually refers to urban living areas that were reserved for non-whites. Today, these areas are buzzing with growth, but are still fighting for better social standards while steeped in a vibrant cultural past.
In Brazil, favelas are former illegal settlements occupied initially by freed slaves and later by poor migrants and immigrants in search of a better life in Brazilian big cities. Favelas were slowly urbanised and are today home to a significant part of Rio’s working class, living alongside contrasting upmarket neighbourhoods.
It is tempting, in the realities shared by these two developing nations, to judge both townships and favelas for their hard past and tales of poverty and crime. However, there is much more to townships and favelas than meets the eye. They are a vibrant part of the cities in which they exist, each leaving an indelible mark in the cultural landscape of their regions.
Phillip Malepa
Soweto born tour guide at Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers, which means at any given time, Phillip leads groups of tourists as large as 50 people at a go. He has developed an impressive reputation for his wit, in-depth knowledge of South African history and his genuine pride and passion as he shows off the spirit of the people of Soweto.
This adventure sees Phillip get on a plane for the very first time all the way to Rio. Phillip’s first foray into TV presenting was as a street surfer on season 1 of
Ekse: Let’s Talk with Masechaba Lekalake, an eKasi+ talk show.
Sydney Tartaruga
Sydney is a charismatic cultural director of
Museu de Favela (MUF – Museum of the Favela) in Rio, Brazil. MUF is a territory museum covering
Pavão-Pavãozinho e Cantagalo and works with the community to preserve their ways of life, culture and music.
It is also about finding solutions to community problems and register the history of its people and their development. Sydney is the son of Joel Silva, a renowned samba composer and songwriter. He has lived in the favela all his life and is an accomplished Capoeira Master, percussionist and Oriental Medicine Therapist.
This is truly a journey of discovery for Phillip and Sidney as they share experiences, compare notes and identify the many neglected cultural dialogues that connect these two powerhouses of the global south.