It’s an unusual smell that fills the room at the Festival Confit de Cavaillon in southern France. The slightly sweet and earthy scent comes from a mafé, bubbling away on the stage. But the performance “Autophagies” by director Eva Doumbia is not only about cooking: it merges memory, history, awareness of the past and of the self, bringing to the stage the diverse tales of migration, colonial heritage, dance, music and of course, African cuisine.
But behind the playful ballet of the senses lies a political dimension. Where does the food that we consider “ours” really come from? What stories – often violent – does it carry? These are some of the questions the director and author seeks to ask with “Autophagies”.
“It’s really a play that criticises the devastating impact of colonisation. Colonisation and food are closely related,” says Eva Doumbia.
On this kitchen-stage, dance plays a crucial role. Bamoussa Diomande, dancer, actor and choreographer, wakes memories through his rich and contrastful movement.
“It’s contemporary dance, it’s African dance, and it’s also a lot of coupé-décalé, which is a dance for young people in Abidjan. So, when I dance, I really get goosebumps and it motivates me, because dance for me is also a type of sport and it gives me a lot of energy. I have fun with my own movements,” he explains.
The history of food, the history of identity
Through the history of rice, of sugar, of chocolate or of bananas, Doumbia tells the tale of globalisation in all its facets – even the darkest ones. Slavery, exploitation and migration are among the central themes of “Autophagies”, which keeps on asking: do we really belong here, even if our food is the product of colonialism? And what does “here” mean?
But the performance is by far not only serious: laughter, tenderness and pleasure weave their way throughout its movements and music. And then finally, the mafé, which gets prepared as the viewers watch, is served at the end of the performance. Everyone assembles around it, is reconciled and nourished.
The emotional complexity of the performance does not go unnoticed for the viewers.
“It was both moving and playful, I really enjoyed it. I was really immersed in it, the play made me travel. And I also learned a lot, I’m very happy,” says Myriam Douhi, who was in the audience.
“Autophagies” stands out among the celebration of vibrant cultures, living memory and gastronomy at the Festival Confit de Cavaillon.
Merging conscience and senses, it becomes a truly collective experience.
Credit: African News
