Caroline Ngorobi: Kenyan Theater Producer & Creator
“Human stories trigger my imagination.”
Currently a theater producer and creator for Jukwaa Arts Productions, Caroline Ngorobi came to theater as an actor in 2005. An artist based in Mombasa, Kenya, she creates space for art in all her experiences--education, family, creed. She believes every human encounter is a story waiting to be told. We’re excited to have her as a member of our 2020 Bakanal de Afrique Artist Fellowship Cohort. She shared that her relocation to Mombasa was her own decision; among other things Caroline shared about herself.
Who are you?
My people are Bantus from Kenya.
Where did you find yourself?
I found myself in the theatre…in this space, I found a safe space to freely express my deepest thoughts, my hidden joys and my unconventional ideals.
What keeps you from moving around the way you would like?
My children. I have to make very calculated moves, physically or emotionally. I find myself factoring them in. Asking myself various questions before I make any moves, will they be comfortable? Will they be fine? Will this move disrupt them?
What memory/ies have informed how you traverse/navigate the world?
About 15 years ago, on my way home in a public van (matatu), I was seated by the window seat, looking outside and minding my business, only to be carjacked at gun point by the man seated next to me. I don’t remember his face (I had not bothered to look at him when I boarded the vehicle, I just remember the gun in my face. This experience made me a very cautious traveller. I deliberately remember faces of fellow travelers, of people around me. I am more aware of my surroundings.
Who or what inspires your art/creativity?
Human stories trigger my imagination. I am also inspired by other creatives, of all disciplines.
How does your work speak to social issues in your local community?
I use the safe space of theatre to provoke thought on touchy social issues in my community, as well as mirror behaviour through my performances. This gets people talking. Some topics are sexual harrassment, taboos in our traditional cultures, juvenile crime.
If you tell a friend “Mi soon come” or some version of that, where are you and what are you actually doing?
My version would be ‘nakam’ a mix of Swahili and English (sheng). Nakam loosely means I am coming. I may mean, I am actually on my way, or I am at home preparing to leave, or I will come, not sure what time, but I will show up or I have just remembered we were to meet so I am trying to figure out how I will get there ASAP.
Prior to this fellowship, had you thought deeply or created art that addressed questions related to transportation and urban life? If yes, tell us about that work and what you were exploring specifically. If no, tell us about how this experience has or will inform your engagement of such themes in your future work.
I had not thought about it prior to Bakanal. This experience has made me view transport so differently; it’s no longer just a vessel that gets me from point A to B. I now have so many stories to tell. From the people involved to the politics around urban transport. I am excited about this theme. At first I was scared, what exactly will I create? Now I am curious to research and create on these kinds of themes.
As you wait for the start of the festival, check out some of Caroline’s work.
Caroline Ngorobi is one of the core artists of Bakanal de Afrique, the premier global festival of Pan-African Urban culture, community and creatives; see their new work premiering Nov 6- Nov 30, 2020, exclusively on BakanalDeAfrique.com.