‘Women in Brown’ - giving a voice to SA Indian women

TRADITION AND OPPRESSION

- TASHMEER CHETTY

IN A male-focused world, the arts also tend to face a system of gendered hierarchies, wherein the male voice is a privileged one.

South African Indian theatre, a dying form, is one of the victims of the patriarchal outlook. Therefore, it is essential to look at the voice of the Indian woman in South African Indian theatre.

This time around, I look at Krijay Govender’s magnum opus, Women in Brown, which speaks volumes of the state of Indian women, and the need to liberate them from a patriarchal system.

Govender is no stranger to the world of film, television and stage. She is a fine actress, writer, director, producer and stand-up comedian, among others which she handles ever-so gracefully. She has multiple accolades under her wing that span across theatre, film and television. A close look at her play from her grass roots offers insight into the beautifully-creative mind of what would become one of South Africa’s greatest and most inspiring women in the arts industry.

Theatre was once a flourishing industry for the Indian diaspora in South Africa to express themselves, their struggles, and call-out for a change. As the years progressed, Indian theatre became synonymous with comedy, satire and quick laughs, while the more symbolic and meaningful theatre became a niche market for connoisseurs and cultural custodians.

Furthermore, the issue of the invisible voice of South African Indian women in theatre is one that has its roots in the popular Indic theatre of the apartheid era.

It goes without saying, there were female theatre makers, such as Muthal Naidoo who attempted to bring equality between the male and female voice against the ongoing atrocities of the time. However, her attempts are sadly one of a handful, overtaken by her male contemporaries.