terrence shikwambana
born in 1988 on the 5th of October, in Northern Province, in a small village called, Tzaneen. 8 months later, his parents divorced and then his mother moved to Johannesburg in Soweto with his mother Rose who remained a single parent to three boys Shane, Tyron and Terrence.
Rose raised her children in soweto working as a domestic worker. Terrence was later registered in Wisani primary school up to grade 7 then later graduated to Progress high school and then moved to nghunghunyani high school.
In nghunghunyani, he was activily involved in extra mural ativitities like poetry, Rap, acting and debates. He even won an award in a competion with department of education and arts and culture in explainning the quotes of arms. He subsequently received as a prize, 20 computers for the school and added a subject in nghunghunyani, the computer class. In debate, he was great and successfully came top for every competition and the school office is filled with his different achievements.
Later on, he was involved in an organisation called Soweto Kliptown Youth SKY (
https://sowetokliptownyouth.webs.com)
where music, theatre, painting and dance was the main program, to provide hope to the youth of Soweto. He was involved with the gumboots dance where he was featured in a dance project called Image In Nation and travelled to France, perfoming in Toulouse with a group of break dancers managed by Abdul Duri. In SKY project, many outreach programs assigned with the organisation, involving all members to bring their different skills such as workshops, campaigns…
In 2000, Eric De Sarria, the Director of Mots de tete theatre company Founded a partnership between his theatre company with our organisation. It was called mama africa theatre company with a show called Memories of the battery which appeared in many theatres, Market theatre in joburg, baxter theatre in capetown, Grahamstown and also featured in the common wealth games.
in 2005, Terrence got an opportunity to travel to America in Boston to a school Called Nobles green with the artwood family. They supported him in his perfomance and loved his colourful personality!
2010 he was involved in British council program called active citizens building a bridge between distant community people, twined with 30 active citizens from Bradford. They came to visit Terrence and others at SKY project and then Terrence visited Bradford in June 2010. Terrence also was awarded a certificate in Bradford for Interaction.
He was then involved in the Giant Match.
The Giant Match is a French South African project initiated and supported by the Gauteng Provincial Government, the French Institute of South Africa, Les grand personnes with further backing from Embassy of France in South Africa the Ile-de-france provincial Government, Cultures france, with school of art Unoversity, Danone and Tv5 Monde. This was a bigger than life production involving theatre staging 30 giant puppets the tusk involving script writting, drawing, mapping, sculting, welding construction, fashion design and performing. –
2011 He then got participated in Maloya Boots production where a fushion between Maloya and Gumboots Dance in Reunion Island I was exhibited in Le Tempo Festival in Entre-Deux and around all the Island. –
After all this, he decided to study Graphic design and do workshops and then became a designer in graphics by starting his own brand called Made in Soweto. He has also designed many flyers, posters, banners and signages for many companies that stands as a reference. such as full branding for Southgate gatewheels www.southgatewheels.co.za, Zimeleni funerals and ttt wheels www.tttwheels.co.zaamongst many other growing businesses.
Whilst working on his own t-shirt brand Made in Soweto (see photo attached), enabled to provide pride in his culture and the place he comes from. The brand has grown to the international level through Tourism. the designs has now expanded to stencil art and fine arts to vary the various mediums to celebrate Soweto!
He has now painted over 200 stories and historical series to create awareness of Soweto s history and culture.
TONY TOKUNBO ETEKA FERNANDEZ 