Production by Robyn Perros, Raphaela Linders and Tassyn Munro
Grahamstown music producer, Caydon van Eck (b00n) works in collaboration with Rhodes University Television students to create an experimental music video for his song, “Quit You.”
Production by: Minette van der Walt & Debbie Potgieter
“Don’t trust boys” is an unusual and strange music video that views the state of being through sinister eyes. The song lyrics are written by Rob Cairns to reflect the band’s annoyance of pop music and empty lyrics. Their sound is a mix of the raw simplicity of The Stooges and The Birthday Party, with atonal guitar solos and a few tempo shifts. Gentlemen Callers is a South African post-punk band based in Grahamstown who voice a non-conformist message.
Production by Palesa Mashigo & Kirsten Allnutt
An auburn haired, blue-eyed beauty in a meadow making her way to an old house to reunite with her guitar is a picture that people associate with pop music sensation, Taylor Swift. Kristin Birch is a beautiful, talented young lady that could give Taylor Swift a run for her money. “Coming Back” epitomises serenity and longing. Kristin’s character is a restless soul that has been roaming the world because she has unresolved concerns that she needs to confront before she goes peacefully into the afterlife. The guitar she makes her way to represents this salvation.
This is essentially a story about a young lady who is re-connecting with God through her natural environment and her music.
Production by Amaal Salie, Jacek Kaminski & Katja Schreiber
Cameron Cordell’s composition Romanza in C sharp major is a beautiful and moving piece of music, aflutter with recurring sweeping melodies. The simplicity and minimalist charm of his music allows the listener’s mind to wander freely. The video creates an aesthetic in support of the sound, rather than conjuring up a far-flung narrative. Cameron is currently studying towards his LLB at Rhodes University.
Report by Debbie Potgieter & Minette van der Walt
Switches, circuits and clever engineering, Scifest hosts the annual Afrobot competition in Grahamstwon; a platform which could possibly be the practical solution to the maths and science mark woes of matric students.
On the day of the competition after several robot battles, the final consists of a team from Graham College, Lando and team Floppy, two brothers from Somerset East. Brothers Joshua and Gideon Taljard walked home with first place after their robot, made out of old motors and floppy disks held together by cable ties and glue, stole the victory from robot Lando. Floppy had the advantage of a fully rotatable arm capable of rotating the dice to any number they so wished. This competition is testament to the fact that robotics is a fun and educational way to stimulate young scientists’ minds.
Report by Palesa Mashigo & Kirsten Allnutt
For many, science is all about complex formulations and inconceivable experiments. Very few people can follow a career path in the field of science but Sci-Fest Africa reminds people annually, that science can be practiced from the comfort of our own homes. Rhodes University’s Pharmacy 4 students this year exhibited a collection of “home-made” skin products like hand sanitizers, body cream and lip balm.
Report by Robyn Perros, Raphaela Linders and Tassyn Munro
Famelab, “the pop-idols of science”, is a competition where contestants give a 3-minute presentation to a non-scientific audience. These scientists are practicing getting their science out into the public through the competition. The competition is open to anyone between the ages of 21 and 30. Nine finalists from around South Africa partook in the final on 15th March 2013 at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown.
Famelab is an initiative of the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK. It began in 2004 and now includes 25 countries — the most recent being South Africa. It is a vibrant initiative which seeks out young, new voices in science, technology, engineering and maths. The nine finalists attended master classes in communication and public speaking prior to the finals. “They learnt a range ofskills, obviously public speaking, but also a lot about media and camera work too” said Robert Inglis, director of Jive Media, which sponsored the event.
Report by Amaal Salie, Jacek Kaminski & Katja Schreiber
Keeping up with the hype surrounding the Bloodhound SSC Project at this year’s Scifest Africa required a fast pace and sharp mind. Activities organised by the Bloodhound team abounded everywhere: lectures enthralled high school students while workshops saw young prospective mechanics assemble miniature SSC replicas out of cardboard and wood. Both young and old delighted in the thrill of sitting behind the steering wheel of the SSC simulator, vicariously experiencing what lies ahead for SSC driver Andy Green when he attempts to break the world land speed record on South African ground in 2014.
Report by Robyn Perros, Raphaela Linders and Tassyn Munro
In February 2013, a Rhodes student was allegedly raped after anight out at a New Street club. Police suspect that the girl’s drink was spiked by the perpetrator. The incident was poured all over Studentzone but it seems that students have not been affected enough by the incident to be more vigilant of themselves and their fellow “stompers” on the dance floor. “Because we’re in a small town, students think they are above the law and will not be effected by crimes such as these,” says Rat and Parrot owner Mynhardt van Dyk.
Report by Palesa Mashigo & Kirsten Allnutt
Rhodes University’s OutRhodes hosted their Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual Intersex (LGBTI) Pride Week from the 13 March to 16 March 2013. As always, the society ensured that their line-up was filled with an array of educational and celebratory activities that kept those who knew very little about the LGBTI community curious and those who identify themselves as LGBTI members empowered.
The campus march, the revealing photo shoot, the heated safe same-sex talk did not spark as much conversation amongst the non-LGBTI community as the introduction of the letters Q and A did.
Report by Amaal Salie, Jacek Kaminski disa& Katja Schreiber
Rhodes University is under scrutiny for failing to provide disabled persons with equal opportunity and access to higher learning. The University’s facilities are generally inadequate for accommodating disabled students, according to Deputy Dean of Students Roger Adams.
This shortcoming was brought to the fore when International Children’s Peace Prize recipient Chaeli Mycroft, a young wheel-chair bound activist, visited Rhodes University campus. Mycroft was the keynote speaker at the launch of Rhodes’ Human Rights Week on 3 March 2013, and held talks about her activism at Victoria Girls’ High School and Graeme College.
Report by:Minette van der Walt & Debbie Potgieter
Israeli Apartheid Week is a worldwide campaign that links Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to the treatment of non-whites in Apartheid South Africa. Rhodes University Palestinian Solidarity Forum (RUPSF) joined hands with 250 others across the globe and voiced their protest at the parallels . An concert by Israeli pianist Yossi Reshef protest became a focus of the week.
We speak to part-time Fine Arts lecturer Rachel Baasch (MFA Rhodes) who presented a lecture as part of IAW at Rhodes. Baasch feels that more could be done to educate students about the situation in Israel. Not just during IAW, but in general. The boycott is now an ANC policy, yet many students on Rhodes Campus as well as people in broader South Africa, seem uninformed.
Report by Rosanna Scott
Meat from Rosanna Scott on Vimeo.
We like meat. And because of high-intensity farming, we get a lot of it. We often don’t realise how much animal cruelty is involved in one hamburger. Instead, as Peter Singer explains to us, the connection between cow and beef has been lost. All the while climate change looms.
Rosanna Scott’s portfolio is found here
Report by Aimee Caulfield
This 5-minute documentary looks at two individuals, Vuyani Mpako and Robyn Pienaar, both willing to put themselves at risk for the sake of beauty. Mpako has used skin lightening creams for the past 6 years and Pienaar has used the sunbed regularly for the past 5 years. They are both aware of the clinical dangers but for Mpako becoming lighter is worth the risk. For Piernaar, life is that much easier when you are tanned. Leading dermatologist Dr Derek Odendaal and salon owner Pete Delport comment on this beauty craze.
See Aimee Caulfield’s portfolio here
Report by Thomas Mills
Renowned South African artist, Diane Victor, introduces us to two of her most prominent mediums, her smoke drawings and her print pieces. Through these, she aims to showcase contemporary issues faced by South Africa and its people by voicing her own about the country’s woes. Catching Ghosts demonstrates how Victor creates her fascinating smoke drawings as well as her large-scale etchings.
Thomas Mills’ Portfolio is found here
Report by Kelley Wake
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children today. We investigate the controversial issues surrounding the medication and the diagnosis of ADHD in young children as well and the effects on schooling. Interviews with educational psychologists, doctors, school matrons and a student who was diagnosed when he was nine years old, outline their experiences, opinions and knowledge of the disorder.
Kelley Wakes’s portfolio is found here