Paper short abstract:

Forum-theater performances in local language (wolof, serer) contribute to the emergence of place self-narratives on ecological transition. Following an interactive/ adaptive itinerary, the language of practices helps clarify the meanings of common good, transition, power structures, and governance.

Paper long abstract:

The PhD research carried out at IUAV of Venice (2018-2022) can be considered as a journey in search of multiverse transformative insights from Senegal ecovillages. They do emerge from anti-hegemonic experiences despite the rhetoric of the Senegalese National Program of Transition. A plurality of voices is being heard and perspectives on emerging forms of transition are offered by the most marginal places.

The 'forum theatre' is used as a de-colonial device, as activation practice to ease local participation and interaction. Collective shows on issues of thematic ecological transition are organized by the local theatre company Kaddu Yaraax together with local communities. Dialogues in local languages bring out narratives, perspectives and points of view useful to interpret the local meanings of transition. The 'forum theatre' performances are accompanied by exercises of community (parish) mapping of imaginaries, desires, dreams, fragments of cosmologies along with the daily life of the inhabitants.

The outcomes highlight the co-evolution of multiple endogenous African perspectives, which help motivating the "Africa-World" message. The message is conveyed by the languages with which every niche (eco-village) translates the term ‘ecological transition’, the forms of life in its spatial domain. The research findings recommend that we reflect on the meaning of contemporary ecological challenges, linking the research empirical results with emerging 'African paradigms' in a renewed effort to learn.