01 - Editor’s note - George Oyebode
Soulstice Festival has run for two successful years after one conversation between two brothers and their friend gave birth to an idea. Over £10,000 has been raised for two special charities because of a drive from supporters to celebrate music and the arts. Covid-19 is crippling an arts industry as well as restricting key streams through which charities raise money with the cancellation of many major events from Glastonbury to the London Marathon. Soulstice 2020’s fallow year is a small piece in a worrying puzzle that shows both a drop in the live celebration of arts and culture and a reduction in the capacity for people to come together, cherish a cause and drive for change.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement provides a beacon of hope amid the dark and uncertain times of this pandemic through showing the ability of online support to push for societal change. Raising awareness, sharing brutal facts and spreading positive opinions provided not only the impetus for such a movement but it is vital for a long-term, sustained impact. Similarly the recent #EndSARS protests which were being suppressed from making noise within Nigeria received their rightful global media attention after the catalyst of impassioned online support from diasporan and western communities. The efforts of so many people deserve gratitude and admiration but the reality is that police shootings are continuing and SARS is not “ending” outright; there is simply redistribution with a lack of true police reform. To achieve the necessary deep-rooted and systemic changes these efforts must continue.
The BLM movement contributed significantly to conversations between Jamie and me on the core pillars of Soulstice. The lockdown period and the eventual cancellation of the festival forced us to ask what the identity of Soulstice really is, or more importantly what we think it can be. Fundamentally, the festival brings our supporters together annually both to celebrate the arts and to raise awareness. Although we couldn’t do this on 5th September, we want to build this identity into something that is more than just one weekend. Combining these two key aspects, perhaps something special could be achieved in the long-term. Whilst the festival will remain our annual cornerstone, we want to build on the special support which arrives at the farm each year. Twice, Jamie and I have sat down the evening after the festival and felt humbled by conversations, messages and photos of support. We want to challenge both ourselves and you to go further than just one day.
We actually first broached the idea way back in December in a taxi through the deserts of Oman. I had never visited the Middle East and I felt a desire to share my experiences of the culture in Oman. Such experiences included the lovely Omani teachers whose maternal devotion never gave up on my questionable Arabic, the reverence of all the citizens towards their benevolent Sultan and the deep societal divide between native Omanis and the migrant population mostly from South East Asia.
During my 2 weeks of Arabic teaching, I had one particular teacher whose enthusiasm for my learning rivalled any of my teachers to date. It was even more special to find out, as I grew to know her, that she juggled such devotion with not only her studies but regularly caring and cooking meals for her extended family - sometimes up to 18 people a day - when she travelled several hours back to her family home. Her mother was a young teenager when she gave birth to her first child and, only just turning 40, she had 12 children. In a country where gender equality is further behind than the changes being embraced slowly but steadily in the UK, it was promising to see an example where my teacher had the opportunity to study and teach despite the duties to her family in the house. Nonetheless, this does not justify the lengths that not only the Middle East but the world must still go to reach true gender equality.
Be it a city tour guide, local taxi driver or bedouin camel herder they all shared an unwavering devotion to the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said. ‘Everything I have is owed to that one man’ was a statement I remember hearing daily, reflective of their national patriotism and sentiment. The UK-educated Sandhurst graduate transformed the country for its citizens over his fifty year reign. In a region where oil has often been the source of contention and conflict, he channelled its revenues into building a nation boasting modernisation, inclusivity and diplomacy. The country went from having just three public schools in 1970 to now over 1600 schools and a literacy level of over 90%. Sultan Qaboos led a successful diplomatic path which can be summarised by the policy ‘no boots on the ground’ outside of the Sultanate, instead preferring softer measures. During my visit, Qaboos had long been suffering from serious illness and was yet to appoint a successor. I sensed a deep anxiety among the Omanis when I asked about this. The harrowing situation in neighbouring states like Yemen and the dangers of an authoritarian regime meant this uncertainty terrified them. Fortunately, thus far the new Sultan Haitham bin Tariq seems a steady successor to continue on a positive path where much more can be achieved. The sense of security Sultan Qaboos brought to a nation through a monarchic, absolute yet harmonious system certainly lingers in my mind with the current social and political divisiveness we face in the West. Of course, their anxieties and fear expose the fragility of such a system.
These are just two of many thoughts which I had in Oman and hopefully a taste of the type of content we want to bring you. Such experiences inspired the taxi journey discussion between Jamie and me. Before this taxi journey I jotted down some ideas in my phone notes on how the arts, culture, travel and society could all be wedged into Soulstice so it can be a platform to share the above thoughts and more. It was basic, messy and far too idealistic but no more so than the first time we discussed the idea of a festival…
9 months have passed. After the virus forced us to spend an unexpected three months living together, we are certain of three things: Soulstice can be more than a festival, it should always be current and it must constantly be driven by its supporters. ‘The Soulstice Collective’ will be a platform to celebrate music, art and culture whilst raising social awareness and driving for societal change. Soulstice Creative, the online creative arm of The Soulstice Collective, will begin with submissions from those who have supported Soulstice so loyally since its inception in 2018 and it will flourish through the collaborative effort of our following to help it grow. This is how the festival has expanded and we believe that The Soulstice Collective will do so in the same way. Please share this, spread the word and be excited for what is in store…
