Unpacking cultural supremacy: illuminating the tensions between us
Join us for “Unpacking cultural supremacy - illuminating the tensions between us”, a 60-minute conversation where we’ll collectively explore some of the impacts of casteisms we witness.
This teach-in timed to coincide with Dalit History Month is a space to learn and collectively explore the ways in which caste is invoked in the diaspora. According to Equality Labs, April is recognized as Dalit History Month across the globe. Founded in 2015 and inspired by the legacy of Black History Month, Dalit History Month celebrates the unique culture, stories, and histories behind the Dalit struggle. The theme for this year is: Endurance. Solidarity. Liberation.
Guided by ‘Elite Capture – How the powerful took over identity politics’ by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò the intention of the teach-in is to explore cultural supremacy in the context of solidarity amongst racialised communities. In our conversation we are seeking to explore what casteisms are, the notion of being upper-caste passing plus the evolution and presence of casteisms in the diaspora. As diversity, equity and inclusion is often championed as one of the remedies to discrimination, how does caste bias inform how we build, tend and nurture solidarities in and between racialised communities? How does caste inform the relationship with Tangata Whenua? How do we remedy this?
Walking Club
Join us for a walk as we move our bodies, take in the breathtaking views and connect with nature.
Our walking club is free, open to all and moderately paced! Space is limited, please only rsvp if you can make it.
Location will be sent via email.
Bloody Woman: Lana Lopesi
Bloody Woman is a collection of essays by acclaimed writer and critic Dr Lana Lopesi which explores the overlap of being Sāmoan and a woman. Join us for a 60-minute online conversation between Lana and our Founder Makanaka about this wayfinding set of essays.
Guided by Lana’s’ essay “Teine Sā, My Feminist Icons” in Bloody Woman (2021) the intention of this conversation is to explore ancestral ideas of womanhood, Indigenous feminisms and the feminist icons that inform the worlds and practices of the daughters of migrants.
The Othermothers
This reflective talk-in timed to coincide with Woman’s Day is a space to honour Black Feminists, thoughts, and practices, and how their words are blueprints that have nurtured and continue to inform movements globally across generations.
⭐ This talk-in is informed by conversations about the need to reground and contextualise Black Feminists such as Gamba Adisa (Audre Lorde), Toni Morison and other feminist icons’ stories as blueprints and maps. Especially in times of converging crisis, overwhelm and a political economy that is more concerned with the marketability and sellability of movements as opposed to equitable and long-term visions for transformation.
⭐ Guided by Gamba Adisa’s introduction in ‘Zami: A new spelling of my name’ (1982) the intention of this talk-in is to remember and learn from lineages of women and femmes who’s politic and practices are rooted in liberation for all, as we are aware of the different feelings and discourse Woman’s Day can conjure up. We are seeking to explore intersectional feminisms and to uplift the contributions of Black Feminists in Oceania. Who led us to the transformative waters of Black Feminisms? What practices did they pass on? What can we learn from the lineage of Black Feminists, Womanists and those influenced by their work?
The Othermothers is a phrase that resonated to us in Stephanie Renee Toliver’s chapter ‘Exploring womanism: finding the othermothers, entering the habour’ in her book ‘Recovering Black storytelling in qualitative research: Endarkened storywork’.
Park Day
Join us for a park day as we decompress the weekend, move our bodies, take in the breathtaking views and connect with nature.
Our park day is free and open to all. Space is limited, please only rsvp if you can make it.
Location will be sent via email.
The Sanctuary African Kemetic Yoga Classes
Join us every Sunday as we explore the fundamentals of African Kemetic Yoga and discover the luxuriousness of a deep stretch. Monthly, we gather for a themed block of three sessions. Our theme for April is a deep dive into the Ma’at Ka Sequence, one of the key sequences in Kemetic Yoga. Maʽat refers to the ancient Kemetic principles of balance, love, justice, truth, order, harmony, law and morality. In each session we will delve into an aspect of the practice and learn:
A signature Kemetic Yoga posture
The stories connected to the posture
An embodied self care practice
Breathe work
Meditation
Cost
$20 per session
$50 for a block of three classes
Donation/Pay-what-you-can/Gift exchange for those that are unwaged or students
To make a booking for a private session or prenatal and postpartum care please click here.
The Well Summer 2023
Please note: The Well’s Summer 2023 cohort is for those that identify as *women of colour. Registrations for our Winter 2023 cohort, which is open to all, begins in April 2023. If you are interested in joining the wait list for that cohort please email hello@sesamathloapothecary.online and we will be in touch when registrations open.
The Well is Sesa Mathlo Apothecary’s 10-week race, culture and identity workshop series. In developing The Well we have created a comprehensive structure and container that allows you to deepen your understanding of social constructions in a communal setting.
In our learning journey we are weaving storytelling, intersectionality studies, Black feminisms and indigenous wisdom, practices and knowledge systems.
By having access to varying learning materials and teachers, we journey together to explore transformational ways to imagine and contribute to the waters of our future and enhance how you show up in the world as an agent of change.
Our Summer 2023 cohort will be from Wednesday 22 February 2023 - Wednesday 19 April 2023. Live facilitation sessions will be fortnightly on Wednesdays from 6.00pm - 8.30pm NZT. All sessions will be held online via Zoom.
Whether you’re working in a leadership position, embarking on a new career, parenting in a multi-cultural society or an engaged citizen wanting to apply social change practices into their everyday life, The Well welcomes you.
When: Wednesday, 1 March - Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Where: Online via Zoom
Time: 6.00pm - 8.30pm NZT
We have scholarships for those that identify as women of colour to participate in The Well Summer 2023 thanks to Manawaka Ao and the Social Cohesion Fund.
We are honoured to have been approached by Manawaka Ao, who are the recipient of the Social Cohesion Fund, to facilitate a cohort tailored to the needs of those who identify as women of colour.
Manawaka Ao is a community of women across multiple communities of colour from South Asian, South-East Asian, Central Asian, African, Tongan, Samoan, Latin American backgrounds who call Aotearoa, New Zealand home. Their name was gifted to them by their kaumatua Paa Riikau Terry-Karapa and they recognise their responsibilities and obligations as Tangata Tiriti of colour.
While we don’t utilise the language of women of colour or people of colour in Sesa Mathlo Apothecary, we understand it’s use as a solidarity term. We welcome all those who identify with the term and as women of colour, those who are racialised and those who identify as femme or non-binary, to join us for this cohort.
The Refill: The Well Alumni Seasonal Check Ins
Our quarterly check-ins are an opportunity for 'alumni' of The Well to get together for some sharing, learning and connecting. The intention of these check-ins is for us to replenish our individual wells with some learning and fulfil one of the main tenets of social change, which is a commitment to life-long learning.
For our 2023 check-ins we will be honouring the memory of bell hooks and the invitation is for us to read three chapters of 'all about love' together and discuss their main themes in relation to love as a radical practice and tool.
The following is an overview of the chapters we'll be reading together, the proposed dates and times:
Wednesday 15 February
Values: Living by a Love Ethic (Chapter Six, p. 85)
6pm - 8pm
Wednesday 10 May
Community: Loving Communion (Chapter Eight, p.127)
6pm - 8pm
Wednesday 16 August
Healing: Redemptive Love (Chapter Twelve, p.207)
6pm - 8pm
Please note these check-ins are only for alumni of The Well.
The Well Spring 2022
The Well is Sesa Mathlo Apothecary’s 10-week race, culture and identity workshop series. In developing The Well we have created a comprehensive structure and container that allows you to deepen your understanding of social constructions in a communal setting.
In our learning journey we are weaving storytelling, intersectionality studies, Black feminisms and indigenous wisdom, practices and knowledge systems.
By having access to varying learning materials and teachers, we journey together to explore transformational ways to imagine and contribute to the waters of our future and enhance how you show up in the world as an agent of change.
Our Spring 2022 cohort will be from Wednesday, 28 September - Wednesday, 23 November. Live facilitation sessions will be fortnightly on Wednesdays from 6.00pm - 8.30pm NZT.
Whether you’re working in a leadership position, embarking on a new career, parenting in a multi-cultural society or an engaged citizen wanting to apply social change practices into their everyday life, The Well welcomes you.
When: Wednesday, 28 September - Wednesday, 23 November
Where: Online via Zoom
Time: 6.00pm - 8.30pm NZT
Tending to the roots
Join us as we share tools and practices to connect with our roots.
The Well Winter 2022 Cohort
Journeying to The Well is an invitation to tell and hear each other’s stories as we explore the social constructions of race, gender, sexuality and the impact these constructions have on our relationships: on a personal, communal and societal level.
Don’t touch my hair: anti-blackness & hair discrimination
An interactive workshop about the role of hair in Black cultures.
Nourish by Nyame Dua & Sesa Mathlo Apothecary
A space where we ground, rejuvenate, and connect through embodied self-care practices.
Hosted fortnightly on Sundays from 10am - 11.30am.
Diversity and Inclusion: Buzzwords, Calls to Action or Diversion?
What does diversity and inclusion mean in a socially unjust world?
You are invited to join us for Sesa Mathlo Apothecary’s Sharing Circle, where we come together to explore, unpack and discuss a topic.
The Well Information Session (Online)
Registrations for The Well are now open! The Well is our 10-week workshop series where we teach and nurture dialogues about race, culture and identity.
Using storytelling as the amplifier, we will consider what we lose when stories and experiences of our communities are siloed and exist in the margins. The Well is an invitation to tell and hear each other’s stories and in doing that we begin to hear, see and have a basis of understanding of the things that impact lived experiences. From there we can begin to collectively articulate and co-create visions for a future that honours our interdependence.
In a township setting the well is a place where everyone gathers for water, a vital source of nourishment, rejuvenation and survival. As such, our well is welcome to everyone who wants to inform their social change practice to meet the ever changing waves of our time at all levels.
We are hosting this information session to answer any questions that you might have about The Well.
To RSVP, click the button below. If you have any questions you would like us to answer during the information session, please include them in your registration. Please note that this event will be held online NZT.
Kuumba: What’s My Social Change Role?
How do you see yourself in these changing times? What role do you feel you can play/want to in play in this moment in time? Which roles come with ease to you? Which ones do you assume in certain ecosystems that require effort from you?
Sharing Circle: Tending to the base (Guided Crafternoon)
The session will include:
Journaling (prompts + guidance provided)
Art practice (using arts and crafts materials provided)
Tips + practices for grounding
Collective discussions on perceptions of success, fear of failure and what that means for our relationships