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| Photo courtesy of http://www.elle.co.za/tipping-point-stuff-from-str-crd/ |
We all know South Africa has 11 official languages, therefore 11
official cultures right? But what makes up a culture? Is it traditional
clothing, dialect or a certain heritage whose lineage can be traced back? Well,
if that’s the case there is one culture that’s been ignored for far too long in
SA, it is a culture that’s infecting city youth like an airborne disease, a
culture that has become a way of life for many. I’m talking about urban culture,
and last week Jozi’s streets quaked under stomping sneakers as armies of local
and international urbanites, came marching in for the biggest street festival
in the country…
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| Courtesy of: http://www.facebook.com/STR.CRD |
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| Joey Elgersma, product manager of Sport & Street at Bread & Butter. Photo courtesy of: http://www.elle.co.za/tipping-point-stuff-from-str-crd/ |
…Str.Crd (pronounced Street Cred) is an annual street
festival mashing the latest in urban fashion and popular culture in
contemporary SA. It originally kicked off at Cape Town Station in 2010 but was
moved to Joburg’s artsy Maboneng Precinct this year. But unlike the Mother City, the Jozi version
rocked for four days, kicking off from the 27th of September to the
30th, literally shutting down several blocks.
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| Phly sista kitted in Adi wear. Photo courtesy of: http://www.elle.co.za/tipping-point-stuff-from-str-crd/ |
However,
this was more than just another jol in downtown Jozi. Str.Crd 2012 was a
creative potjiekos, a frothy stew brewing with sneakers, graffiti, music,
skateboarding and fashion. And as this irresistible aroma wafted in the air, it
attracted thousands of highly artistic revellers from far and wide like excited
bloodhounds closing in on a fresh scent.
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| New York-based blogger Wendy Lam running the site Nitro:licious flew in for the jol. Pic courtesy of: http://www.elle.co.za/tipping-point-stuff-from-str-crd/ |
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| Mfana wa style. Courtersy of: http://www.elle.co.za/tipping-point-stuff-from-str-crd/ |
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| Pic from: http://www.inthefashionloop.com/archives/streetstyle/str-crd-2012/ |
HGH.STR, the
fashion section had really cool kicks from brands such as Nike and Adidas, the retro
Onitsuka Tiger (the yellow sneakers Bruce Lee wore in Enter The Dragon) as well
as Brazilian Mutta Shoes. Surprisingly, some females couldn’t get their paws of
the Bitches Must Know T-shirts. Str.Sessions
allowed international and local artists to exchange creative concepts, while Str.Music introduced international
artists like American Jesse Boykins III and Just A Band from Kenya, but undoubtedly
the best performers came from local acts
PH Fat, and Zaki Ibrahim to name a few. Other categories were Str.Dance, Str.Skate, Str.Sneakers
and Str.Bball, better known as Nike
Street Kings, basketball matches between teams of local celebrities.
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| BMK founders. Pic taken from: http://www.facebook.com/STR.CRD |
After this year’s epic Str.Crd, it is clear that SA could be
embracing urban as an official culture. Could it be why the organisers held it
during Heritage Month this year? I mean
just like the 11 official cultures, urban has its own traditional clothing, music
and even writing and language in the form of graffiti and tsotsi-taal. In the
future, Str.Crd could be more than just a giant art exhibition, it could be the
historic event where urban culture becomes officially recognised as part of
SA’s heritage, as our 12th official culture, maybe that day will
come at Str.Crd 2013, who knows?
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| Some of the kicks on show. Photo from: http://www.facebook.com/STR.CRD |
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