Period. a collective research residency

This autumn, WORM Pirate Bay artist in residence; Sekai Makoni facilitates Period. – a community-based research project for Black people experiencing menstrual difficulties – be it severe pain, fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis or anything that makes your period challenging. Many Black people suffer in silence due to shame or a sense that pain is normal or inevitable. In this residency, Sekai wants to challenge this and explore possible root causes and healing approaches.

Sekai assembled a group of 8-10 Black people who would share their experiences. Together we try to unearth approaches that are distinct to those of African or Caribbean heritage. What remedies or understandings might we have lost contact with? In total, there will be 6 sessions (across 6 months) intertwining personal reflection with practical workshops hosted by specialists in alternative health practices.
Whilst group meetings are not be open to the public, we believe that the knowledge and experience harnessed during the residency will be important to share beyond the group. Therefore, the output of the project will be a zine publication so that the learnings can be shared with the wider public. Additionally, we will produce a monthly show on WORM radio where the ongoing research will be explored as well as interviews and pearls of wisdom related to periods.

Participants: Chelsea / Josje karg / Elaine Martis / CyAnn Pourier / Alfrida Martis (Alfie) / Serana Angelista / Aida Sium / Zoë / Sheree Lenting / Jasmin – Nite Shop / Meike / Shihayna Poulina

PUBLIC EVENTS:
Radio shows:
You can listen to PERIOD. radio every last Tuesday of the month on waves of radio WORM! Catch us at 19.00-20.00!
2021: 26 October  / 30 November  / 28 December
2022:  25 January  / 22 February  / 29 March

Final event: 28 May 2022 | MORE TBA

LIST OF NON-PUBLIC WORKSHOPS:
1) Sat Oct 2 Fibroid Pandemic by LaToya | Explorations of the high rates of fibroids amongst Black people
2) Sat Nov 6 Sis the Womb Witch Samora Schurman | Womb healing / spiritual aspects of sacral region / trauma
3) Sat Dec 4 Acupuncture | TCM Traditional Chinese Medicine Kim | Acupuncture and healing for menstrual challenges
4) Sat Jan 8 Pelvic Dance by Alexandra | Dance, embodied movement, the pelvic region – healing / release
5) Sat Feb 5 Talyah Donker | Wombodhi   Abdominal massage, understanding the season cycle of the uterus
6) Sat Mar 12 Rae Parnell |Zine making workshop – capturing our main learnings

Images: Period. participants at the first workshop. Photo courtesy of Sekai Makoni
Design: Serana Angelista