Nassia Matsa 

“The name of our House is a paraphrase of the world 'cunt', which in English has a negative connotation, but on the ballroom has the exact opposite”, says Chraja, the Father of the Grecian House of Kareola.

Trippin speaks to Athens-based House of Kareola about the politics of Voguing, the Athenian scene and of course what they are going to wear at the ball.

The members of the House have just finished their rehearsal ahead of the third Voguing ball taking place in Athens. In a back yard, in early October where 30 degrees is still the norm in Athens the ‘Children’ amongst their ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ discuss whether or if ‘Athens is burning’ regardless of the weather conditions.

Tila, the Mother of the House is by profession a dance teacher who also teaches Vogue performance: 

“It started organically three years ago. I taught Chraja and Candee how to Vogue and then it grew bigger and bigger”

“We can say that we became a House officially when we went to the ball in Bergamo in Italy a couple of years ago”

, Chraja who is a full-time entertainer says.

“What I love about the Athenian scene is that we root for each other, there are no complexes and everyone is quite chill but on the other hand I want more trans womxn to join the scene. The reason that I love the ballroom is because it includes everyone. Trans womxn is a marginalised group in Athens, in some cases even the queer spaces aren’t safe for them. It’s an oxymoron knowing the fact that they were the reason that Voguing was born”

“I want Voguing in Athens to express where we are geographically and express Athens of 2019. We are at a point where Voguing is becoming more and more mainstream, my goal is to educate and grow the community by protecting its authenticity. We are working with a NGO, which supports LGTBTI+ refugees in Athens, where I was organising dance lessons. I observed that some people were enthusiastic about it but some were still sceptical about what Voguing represents”

Discussing the positive things that Voguing is bringing on the table two of the Children of the House of Kareola comment: 

“I haven’t travelled abroad, I have never left Greece. Through Voguing and the balls I had the chance to meet people from US, Sweden and Paris”

 says Glastra, one of the children of the House who is part-time Voguer and part(y) time animal, as the House of Kareola is in constant communication with the Voguing scenes not only across the main capitals of Voguing but also underground scenes such as those of Bulgaria’s and Japan’s.

Candee, a teacher during daytime and a Voguer during night-time explains the reason that she loves the ball, 

“I have issues with accepting my body, seeing the category ‘Body’ which is all about body-positivity helped me in dealing with those issues. I am still working on it”.

In three days-time the third ball is to take place, the theme is “Exarcheia 2047”. Exarcheia is a neighbourhood in central Athens, once the house of intellectuals with strong political history, an avid anarchist community that dichotomises the public opinion. From riots but also riot-tourism to idealistic political views this is the place where you’ll see the most anarchists you would have seen but also the most policemen but also Voguing Balls. Hence the theme of this ball which takes place in Exarcheia is “Exarcheia 2047”.

Greece

Athens

Voguing in Athens: Greek Realness

We’re in Barcelona not for the tapas, nor for the touristic attractions but to speak with Wekafore the emerging fashion designer whose clothes are not only effortlessly cool but they also have an interesting story behind them.

Wekafore grew up in suburban Nigeria, his routine consisted of street-football and spending time in his mother’s workshop, a textile manufacturer. Re-stitching and press-ironing his school trousers at the workshop, he later found himself in Dubai where being racially discriminated then became part of his routine “I then came to study fashion at Bilbao and have been in Spain ever since” the fashion designer says, “there isn’t really a major reason why I chose to come to Barcelona in the end, I just really wanted to leave Dubai”.

The clothes are used as a canvas for Wekafore to tell his story and re-imagine the urban African style prior to colonialism. Mixing fabrics and colours, playing with the idea of feminine masculinity and masculine femininity, his story is more relevant than ever.

"Living in different places means you’re blessed with mixing with loads of people who hold their own stories and cultures”

Branding and travelling is an unavoidable combo for the designer who now works and lives in Barcelona: “Travelling impacted and still impacts my work branding-wise mostly. It allowed me to better communicate my messages and think about the different perspectives that people carry. Living in different places means you’re blessed with mixing with loads of people who hold their own stories and cultures".

 as an artist who is a part of reforming the narrative in Spain. His name means ‘no paper’ - a salute to the African and Latin American communities who are based in Barcelona, but face problems with ‘their papers’ and visas. Sin Papeles is bringing that underbelly of Barcelona and its politics to the forefront through street art” Wekafore comments.

"I feel like it is our job as Africans of the diaspora to infuse creative thinking into the African consciousness."

“I feel it’s an obligation of mine. One of the problems in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is creative thinking. I feel like it is our job as Africans of the diaspora to infuse creative thinking into the African consciousness. The African-Spanish population have a certain lack of identity. If you look at black Americans they have certain key figures they can look back at -like Malcolm X, MLK. In Spain, there are no black icons. I want to change that and simply make people open to different narratives”.

"There's a certain consciousness at the top that all others are able to connect with and propel forward."

“In every sort of movement, there's a certain consciousness at the top that all others are able to connect with and propel forward. Something like that is happening here in Barcelona right now”, the designer notes, “We shouldn’t try to be like London because the infrastructure is not the same. It's important to create a unique narrative”.

With building his own narrative the focus, Wekafore’s next challenge is how to mix fashion, art and music under one umbrella. The main advantage to that project? “Incorporating all three elements to save time and stress”.