South Roots

BACKGROUND OF THE SOUTH ROOTS PROJECT
Kibbutz El-Shammah is a progression of the New Life Gang Project in Worcester, South Africa, a town previously known for its gangsterism and drug-related violence. The New Life project effectively brought peace between two gangs - The Born Free Kids and the Cape Town Scorpions, but the community was left even more broken: torn apart by abuse, alcoholism, unemployment and other problems. Hence Kibbutz El-Shammah, a community development project based on the Jewish kibbutz system, was started in 1993 to cater to the needs of the severely underprivileged community.
One of the most effective ways of reaching both this community and others throughout South Africa has been through the performing arts. Hence South Roots - the performing arts company of Kibbutz El-Shammah has produced several productions. Broken Shackles was launched in 2000 and is still running as one of South Roots major productions. It tells the story of the Cape Coloured people of South Africa, from their roots as the Cape Slaves, through the slavery of Apartheid, and in the current slavery of alcohol, poverty and other forms of degradation. Duration: 1hr 20 min Target audience: Cape Coloureds / General South African / International Western Audiences. Recommended Age Restriction: 10yrs PG
All those performing in the musical are originally from this community and are themselves descendants of the Cape slaves and or indigenous people of the land. The musical has a strong massage of reconciliation and that the chains of slavery can be broken through the choices that people make. Worcester itself is testimony to this, as it functions today in unity and peace.
South Roots toured with Broken Shackles to England - performing at the African Centre in Covent gardens and Yaa Asentawa Carribean Project, The Blackie, Roehampton University, various schools and churches and in 2007 toured to Virginia USA, which included performances in front of the city council.