Mekdes
W
Shebeta

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Interactive Performance “ጨረቃ፡ዱንቡሎቃ፡” “Chereka” (Moonlit Reflections: Reminiscence and Nature’s Rhythms), 2024

In this performance, I presented excerpts from my fictional story “The Triple Stones” with audio recordings of birds and insects from Yergalem Jungle, a clay object installation, and interactive serving of Areke, a traditional white Likéry. This act symbolized connection and unity. Hamada Gebremichile read the text while I sang and served Areke. The performance was part of the outdoor group exhibition “Den djupere tida,” curated by Linn Cecilie Ulvin, at the Oslofjord Triennale 2024. Inspired by the area of Husmannsplassen Stein Nessodon and ancient Horn of Africa and Scandinavian tales, the story uses the moon, sky rocks, and water to explore themes of unity, migration, and environmental change.

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“ነብስ ይማር“ (Blessing the Souls) of Sofienbergparken, Site-Specific Performance, 2021 Oslo

This interactive ceremonial blessing in SofienbergParkn featured chants by Saint Yards Zema and Abenets, recorded at Entoto Kidane Mehret Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The performance included serving Nefro Ethiopian Wheat & Chickpea Snack and homemade honey-barley wine, traditional offerings during burial rites. Part of the “Fremtidens Levninger” project, curated by Kjersti Sundland, the ceremony honored the souls of the park, once Oslo’s largest cemetery.

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“Drop to Fetch”(ውሃ፡ቅዳ፡ውሀ፡መልስ፡) Performance / Installation / Voice Over(2018-2019)

Presented in Turku, Finland; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Oslo and Bergen, Norway.

This installation and performance, featuring a voice-over from my text “የአባይን ልጅ ውሃ ጠማው” (The Son of Nile is Thirsty), addressed African immigration and environmental issues. The voice-over narrated the struggles, loss, and hope of migrants, inspired by the privatization of spring water and the plight of those who lost their lives to thirst in the Sinai desert and the Mediterranean. Elements included a traditional pot, bottled water, and a sculpture made from an old faucet, pipe, clay, and cans. The performance varied by location, adapting to each setting with local actors and unique setups, creating distinct experiences in Turku, Addis Ababa, Oslo, and Bergen.

The poetic text was narrated during the performance, where one person spilled and scooped water with her hands, gave water from the pot, and the audience took water from the blue area. Three elder women, representing ancestors, joined the installation, making the sound “hmmm.” Each element symbolized the endless journey and the experiences of those who never reach their destination.

Performances were part of various projects, including “History will be kind to me, for I intend to perform it” during the International Performance Festival at Garage, Bergen, and the New Performance Turku Festival in 2018. Subsequent performances were held in Addis Ababa in 2019 and during the winter solstice in Oslo.

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