African Santa puts his own spin on festive message
Artist joins in Huntly’s Christmas celebrations to highlight world poverty and personal debt
Published:
THE meaning of Christmas and the harsh realities of world poverty and per-sonal debt are being highlighted by an artist who has been appearing in a north-east town as a Santa from Africa.
Pompilio Hilario, who works under the name Gemuce, is rounding off a three-month residency with the Deveron Arts Group at Huntly this week by joining in the town’s seasonal festival on Thursday.
The Mozambique-born artist launched his Money Crunch arts project at the town’s Halloween celebrations, donning his Santa outfit to underline the increasingly early promotion of the festive season most parts of the UK.
Further Santa appearances at a local charity shop, supermarket, banks and aboard a shoppers train to Aberdeen gave him the opportunity to question local people’s thoughts and opinions on Christmas spending, giving and debt, both on a local and global scale.
Positive
The 46-year-old from Maputo, who trained initially as a teacher in Mozambique and continued his art studies in Russia and the Ukraine as well as his own country, said he had thoroughly enjoyed his stint in Huntly.
“There was a lot of interest in the project and I received a very positive response,” he said.
Participants were given credit cards for the project’s Calabash Bank in exchange for their various suggestions.
The bank will be handing out more than 180 genuine African calabashes – emptied and dried gourds that are used throughout Africa as food containers, bottles, ornaments or musical instruments – to people who come up with ideas for how to prevent debt, save money and promote Huntly’s local economy.
It will be open for business in the Square on Thursday at 6pm, following the Christmas festival organised by the Rotary Club.
An exchange party will be held in the neighbouring Brander Building from 8pm where Aberdeen-based drumming band Afriquetone will provide the entertainment.
