AWARE/OWARE

We are pleased to announce Freedom to Create presents AWARE/OWARE, a project of Art Works for Change, who created and produced a life-size game, based on the classic African game Oware.

Oware is considered the oldest board game in the world, dating back 7,000 years. The participatory game will be available for play from November 16-25, at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world, in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of the Freedom to Create Prize celebrations.

This version of Oware created by Art Works for Change serves as a strong sculptural and aesthetic public artwork, as well as an interactive forum for the community to explore the issue of female empowerment.

To create the game, Art Works for Change invited six South African art collectives to research and explore the challenges and successes inherent in female empowerment, using visual arts and storytelling. This game was organized into six aspects of female empowerment -- education, basic human rights and safety, economic, political, health, and environmental -- comprising a visual journey. The game of Oware has been adapted so that each person or team collects knowledge and capabilities on their journey to empowerment.