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BKAY: FROM TEACHER TO FILM MAKER

02/03/2018 22:58:00 BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA

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In May 2016, she amazed many when she showcased her two documentaries which she was busy with for a year.

Bongekile Shiba, popularly known as Bkay, from Ngwenyameni, Luyengo, first-born daughter of a hardworking farmer (father) and a school teacher (mother) did what many would only dare to do but never do. The qualified teacher resigned from her job to pursue her dream of filming and making documentaries.

In 2016, she also gave birth to Swazi Way of Life (SWAWOLI), an initiative which showcases Swazi culture and way of life through film.
The brave Bkay, however, does not insinuate that people should do the same but she always preaches passion and the pursuit of happiness.

“I am an adventurous, intellectually curious philanthropist. My mind questions and analyzes everything that has to do with humanistic traditions,” says the film porducer to GCWALA, as we prepare for an interview.

Please briefly tell us about your educational background?

If I was asked that question in the beginning of 2016, I would have proudly listed my hard earned degrees and certificates from several well-known universities but in my journey in life I have learned that it’s not only the degrees on the wall that define who you are but it’s the resilience to achieve what you are capable of where you are with what you have. Knowledge is eternal, continuous and essential. It’s a life time journey, which should only end in the writings of your obituary. But for the sake of the question, I have a Bachelor of Arts in humanities, African languages and History majors. I did my PGCE at Rhodes University, taught briefly in SA, travelled around USA as a backpacker observing their education system in several schools, taught English in Angola then settled as a permanent teacher in Swaziland.

When did you discover your love for the film industry?

It has always been in my blood, pumping through the arteries, I tried applying for media studies at Wits University with my O’ Level but the tuition fees were too high so I settled for Humanities with the assistance of government scholarship. After that my path opened up like dominos falling and I ended up as a teacher. Being the philanthropist that I am, I never gave up on my dreams. I started initiatives that drove me back to my destiny, like the Girls Empowerment club at the school with the help of SWAGAA, the young Leaders and business minded youth club with Prince Makhosini Award and the Discover and Develop Life Youth club in my community. I continued to write stories, I took pictures and videos of those activities, I learned online how to edit and tell a story through motion picture. SNACC hosted arts and film workshops in 2013, I participated. The US embassy has hosted several film making workshops in 2014-2015 I attended. The French Alliance and European Union have continuously been supporting film making workshops through FLI (Film Lab Initiative) under SIFTPA. I guess I am their success story, along with other participants.

It is no secret that you were once a teacher. Where did you derive the energy to take the high risk of leaving your ‘career’ to do what you love? And please largely illustrate on your journey after resigning from teaching?
Honestly I had no energy to take that risk, I loved my job, I loved my salary, it paid the rent, paid DSTV and got me shoes and OROS. I loved that. But deep in my bones there was a fire burning fueled by the things I was supposed to do but was not doing.

The more I learned about the film industry in the world, the job opportunities it offered and the fantastic documentary film festivals that we are missing out as a country was the more I just wanted to tell the Swazi story. Because of my passion for travelling and international exposure I noticed that we as Swazis have a lot to contribute to the world information system. We have the best of everything, we are just less aware of it or simply ignorant. It hit me in October 2016 when I was producing the film UVILE for the Film Lab Initiative which was about the impact of Free Primary Education to the children of Swaziland. It was on that successful and happy endeavor that the salary I held onto so much didn’t exactly matter. I was equipped with the skills and ready to follow my passion. I was very nervous though and shaking.

As I walked up the stairs at the Ministry of Education to submit my resignation letter, I was terrified, I wanted to run away from myself. It felt crazy and suicidal to just give up my job like that but a supernatural higher power carried me up the stairs and I found myself in the human resource office. I resigned. From there I was free to explore, my journey has been like a walk in the park, Jurassic park, with dinosaurs and flesh eating plants everywhere. Taxes, revenue fees, rent, the constant need to eat, the price of milk and OROS but I am tougher and stronger and the way forward is clearer with every step of the way. The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies and no excuses. No one to lean on, rely on or even blame.

What projects have you done since pursuing your career in filming? Please illustrate on them?
With the help of the EU and French Alliance, I produced the film Uvile for FLI, it was screened at theatre club last year December at the EU film festival. I produced the documentary film Umliba loya embili which is about a critical analysis of essential life skills that children develop, just by playing indigenous games such Incatfu, shumpu, Intjuba, Inketo, gcum gca etc. It was filmed at Sigombeni, Manzini, Matsapha and Ngwenyameni. The film was first screened at Sibane Hotel in May along with the Biggest Braai 2015 documentary film. Both films received positive and encouraging review from the audience. With the Swazi Legacy team (Themba Jonga, Lwazi Dlamini, Seipati Jonga), we filmed the BushFire Schools Festival 2016 as interns at SUNSHINE CINEMA from SA that was in charge of filming the BushFire Festival. My team assisted in organising the 2016 Biggest Braai which was a success and saw Swaziland breaking the World Record of many people braaing meat simultaneously. The film project for that event is still on post-production stage. I also organised and produced a Buy and Save Spar documentary film which shows the profile of the retailer, job creation and the community services they continuously do for the people of Swaziland. After sponsoring the Biggest Braai in Matsapha, In August 2016 they brought Spar groceries, Mobile cinema with SWAWOLI and a mobile clinic with Khulisa Umntfwana to Sigombeni community. It was a day of happiness for the children. My favourite project that I just completed is the documentary film entitled AMARULA TREES ESWATINI. The film explores the socio-economic impact of the Marula trees and its products to the Swazi people. It took me 2years to collect the perfect images from the Marula festival at Buhleni and Hlane, the forest at Mpaka and finally the Last Marula market at SO FRESH lounge Manzini. It features His Majesty King Mswati III emphasising about the importance of the Marula trees to the people of Swaziland. It’s a colourful and gripping film full of happy Swazi people. I have a strong feeling that with the right financial support from the Swazi people it can raise our flag in international documentary film festivals.

You gave birth SWAWOLI. When did you envision this project and what are your hopes for it?
At first I had registered as an SME, the process of registering the business, lease agreement, health report, trading licence all that tripped me over and I fell face down, so metaphorically speaking I broke my nose, sprained an ankle and almost bled to death. True courage and determination is shown in your ability to rise up when you’ve been knocked over. I got an opportunity to present my work to His Royal Highness Prince Guduza. He was impressed, he said it was a good thing that I am qualified as a teacher. I should register as non-profit organisation, empower other Swazis with my skills and do great things for the country. The rest is history; I launched SWAWOLI and screened the films on November 17 at the ground floor Corporate Place. I am happy with the progress of SWAWOLI and the achievements we have had thus far. I have connected with other women outside the country who are experienced in film making and they are from South Africa, Italy and Australia and with their guidance I am confident that SWAWOLI is on the right track. Currently, we are also working on WOW Project (World of Women) and it features the current scenes of Buganu ceremony and we are hoping to vouch for women to make it to Parliament this year.

What are your future prospects; in your career and otherwise?
In my journey, I have learned that it’s better to give than to receive, especially when it allows you to become a leader for the voiceless. I want to continue practicing my philanthropic values. I’m still mastering the art of obedience, spread my wings like an eagle and allow the love of God to carry me to where I need to be. I want to remain humble and kind, to continue searching the right type of knowledge that would create job opportunities. I want to continue making documentary films that would teach the man how to fish instead of giving him the fish. Our country is going through a drought and climate change is happening all over the world. We cannot sit and wait for government or donor funding, we have to look around our natural resources, use and preserve what we have so we can sustain ourselves through this challenging times. That is the whole theme that made me create the Amarula Trees Eswatini documentary film.