Yoga in Colour: A Catalyst for Change
Written by Zaakhiyah Bikha and Wardah Hartley
15 June 2020
The ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the United States has had a ripple effect throughout the globe and has even had us examining our own yoga community. The sad reality is, that much like the international yoga community, the South African one is still very white washed and those not fitting the western image of a yoga teacher – are more often than not, marginalized or deemed inferior to white counterparts.
This is something that has been spoken about among black and POC yoga circles for years but never really addressed or raised in the broader yoga community until now. The reality is, in order for the status quo to change, the uncomfortable conversations need to be had, non-white yoga teachers and students need to be given a voice in the yoga community.
This is where Yoga In Colour plans to make a difference. Yoga In Colour (YIC) is a movement that bloomed out of the need for inclusive representation, diversity and community healing. It was the brain child of yoga teachers, Zaakhiyah Bikha and Wardah Hartley. YIC is dedicated to giving visibility, building community and creating safe spaces for yoga teachers and practitioners of colour to heal, grow and share knowledge.
“There are so many incredible black and POC yoga teachers in South Africa but they are not really celebrated or given the same opportunities as their white counterparts, this movement is going to change that – we want to provide a platform for them to shine,” says Wardah.
The first project they are tackling is the ‘Yoga in Colour One-day Online Retreat’ which will be on Saturday 20 June.
“We have so much we are planning to do going forward but first up on our agenda is our one-day retreat, where people will get a chance to move and breathe with some amazing yoga teachers who also happen to be black and people of colour (POC). Non-white students and teachers have many painful experiences they have encountered at yoga studios and this retreat will give everyone a chance to heal and perhaps even let go of those feelings,” says Zaakhiyah.
These are some of the teachers that will be part of Saturday 20th event:
Siya Stone
Siya is an African Kemetic, Hatha and Vinyasa yoga teacher. She will open the day’s proceedings with a guided meditation.
“I wanted to be a part of Yoga in Colour because for years I’d been silent and scared that my blackness would be a reason that I would get me rejected in white spaces, but because of this I was rejected in black space - I was then called coconut, Oreo etc. This opportunity came to me when I decided to open up to my truths (through meditation) - it’s been extremely uncomfortable, a lot of tears, but yoga has helped me accept these truths and heal through the trauma of being silent for so long.”
Zahra Said
Zahra Said is 6th Dan black belt, pilates and yoga teacher as well as life coach, her study of personal development has been the inspiration for her style of teaching. Saids journey has inspired her to explore physical, mindful and spiritual development through movement practice. Said is the creator of ‘Warrior Flow Series’ (a fusion of martial arts, yoga and meditation including affirmations and breath work). Zahra will teach alongside Udersh Mahesh a 60minute Warrior Flow class at the one-day retreat.
"‘If you want to go fast, go alone, If you want to go far, go together’ - African proverb. I believe in people, I believe in unity, I believe we are powerful beyond measure. The collective consciousness moving forward to serve our community for a higher good, for this reason I am happy to join the team of Yoga in Colour.”
Udersh Mahesh
Udersh Mahesh is a yoga teacher, qualified in various styles of yoga including budokon. He is also an engineer, mindfulness facilitator and entrepreneur. He will teach the Warrior Flow class with Zahra.
Camille Gardiner
Camille is a vinyasa yoga and mindfulness teacher based in Johannesburg. Integrating her own practice with her interest in functional training, movement, mobility and calisthenics has drawn her to teaching strong flows. However, her passion also lies very much in slowing down and sharing mindfulness meditation tools and beginner yoga with those who have never practiced before. Camille enjoys teaching at events and retreats and is the co-founder of Fitreat- a company hosting wellness day retreats for women.
“I am passionate about this movement because diversity and inclusion are important in all spaces- including the yoga and wellness spaces in South Africa. I think that there is value in talking about and recognising that it can be challenging to enter spaces when you feel excluded or different compared to everyone else in the room, and that's why representation matters.”
Tawana Randall
Tawana is an advanced 500hr Hatha style trained teacher with international accreditation. He teaches many styles of yoga, mainly Vinyasa/flow, yin and restorative. He will be teaching with Camille in a Power Flow class.
Anesu Mbizvo
Anesu Mbizvo is an adventurous, passionate and driven 27 year old young woman and medical doctor currently working as a yoga teacher and yoga studio owner in Johannesburg South Africa. She is a 500hr qualified yoga teacher who has completed a 200hr vinyasa based yoga teacher training as well as a 500hr hatha, ayurveda and yoga therapy based teacher training, both with Yoga Alliance registered yoga studios.
She will teach with Phumla at the one-day retreat.
“I’m a firm believer in the fact that yoga should be a practice for all bodies and have built my life as a yoga teacher around creating a safe space and practice of holistic healing for all regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, class or physical ability.”
Phumla Shongwe
Phumla Shongwe is a multi qualified yoga teacher and a passionate energy healer. Phumla is dedicated to helping others learn the gifts of self healing. She began her yoga journey in 2007 and after a few years of dedicated practise she completed her first yoga teacher training in 2011 qualifying as an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. Phumla has furthermore trained in different styles of yoga including Yin, Restorative and Children’s yoga all with the International Yoga Alliance registered schools in South Africa and New Zealand. She is currently studying to become a Kundalini Yoga teacher. Phumla will teach an easy flow class with Anesu Mbizvo.
“I am part of this initiative because I want to create safe spaces where people of colour, the LGBTQI community and all previously marginalised members of society can bring their complete selves to their yoga practice. Together we can create a community where students and teachers alike, can bring into any and every studio, the parts of themselves that are trying to heal from the traumas of systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination.”
Fatima Carrim
Fatima is a Kids yoga teacher based on a Hatha style yoga, personal trainer, pilates instructor specializing in pre &post natal fitness. She is founder of ‘Warrior Kids Yoga’.
“Promoting equality and diversity in childcare settings is essential for ensuring children grow up as accepting, well-rounded and kind individuals. Adopting inclusive practices is the perfect way to demonstrate to children that you and they, should strive towards equality.”
Winnie Zwane
Winnie completed her YTT 200 in 2017, India, Rishikesh. She is also a qualified Hypnotherapist and Meditation Coach. Her meditations combine two powerful and transformative techniques of hypnosis and meditation to help students reach deeper levels of awareness and clarity.
“Representation matters because diversity is a fact of life. When we present yoga as a glamorous practice only for flexible, able-bodies we marginalise everyone from trying a practice that could change their lives and we miss the essence of the practice. Yoga simply put is about getting to know yourself and to commune with the divine.”
Winnie will close the one-day retreat with a guided meditation.
The Retreat will host a panel discussion, the topic - “How do we make yoga studios more integrated spaces for both teachers and students.” The panel discussion will take place from 14:00-15:00pm Saturday 20 June via ZOOM – all welcome to contribute to the conversation.
The event is donation based. All proceeds will go towards empowering people of colour that would like to pursue a career in yoga.