(or, The Return of King Kong…)

- “rasa” is a Sesotho word meaning “make a loud noise”

- RASA was a handful of Soweto youth running a Low Power radio project.

- RASA is a grass-roots radio effort

- RASA is an open space

- RASA is a movement

tbc …

what is RASA? what was RASA? what can it become?

Hallo listener!

this is an open call to everyone out there

who could help to piece together a picture of RASA:

Can you contribute?

do you have stories to tell from the time RASA was on air?

do you remember certain programmes or events?

did you perhaps keep recordings?

or newspaper clips? or pictures?

what were/are your thoughts about RASA?

& we would like to hear you!

dates for joburg meeting…

we are making recordings of peoples memories, stories and recollections about RASA and the time it was on air in Soweto in 2005.

How it came to this initiative:

clips:

http://www.archive.org/details/RASAfm

01 Thiza_launching RASA

02 Thabo_RASA was a space for us

03 Thabo_RASAs programmes

04 Thabo_RASA community security

05 Thiza and Thabo_RASA beyond authorities

06 Thabo_RASA was a movement

07 Thabo_RASA for a new radio

08 Zulu_revive RASA

09 Thabo and Spu_RASA an open question

10 Claudia, Molefi, Thiza_open questions and suggestions

On 17th October 2008, a group of people thrown together by night, the faith in a free air for people’s voices and the occasion of the Southern African Social Forum met in one hostel room in Mbabane in Swaziland. The group included members of the RASA radio collective and associated Joburg artist groups and activists form various social movements and arts movements. The clips presented here capture the night’s conversation of a dozen odd people scattered over two hostel beds, introducing themselves and their work or organisations and talking RASA!

participants and their organisations:

Imbaula  Trust

Frontline artists

Indymedia

Fire on the Mountain

Landless people’s Movement (Gauteng)

Anti privatisation Forum

Social Movements Indaba (Cape Town)

We are broadcasting these recordings here to continue and to open up the conversation to all listeners out there wishing to contribute and join that nights debate: how to continue RASA?

For written responses please use the comment boxes of this blog.

For audio contributions please upload your racks on archive.org (keyword :…) and send us the link

On-line links to audio about RASA:

http://www.pambazuka.org/media/PZ0032.mp3

http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/04/10168.php

http://www.archive.org/details/no-go-zones_623

http://nogozones.wordpress.com/radio-communities-rasa-fm/

http://www.deepdishtv.org/ProgramDetail/Default.aspx?id=3345

http://deepdishwavesofchange.blogspot.com/2007/07/struggle-for-expression-in-south-africa.html

http://www.uaacc.habari.co.tz/radio%20barn%20raising%20at%20UAACC.htm