Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange Season 1 Episode 6 We Will Not Die Like Dogs

Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange offers an educational and inspiring episode in season 1 entitled "We Will Not Die Like Dogs." Set in the post-apartheid South Africa, this episode refers to the dramatic rise of AIDS in the Zulu country. The filmmakers follow the members of the Treatment Action Campaign (or TAC), an organization fighting against AIDS' spread and advocating for HIV-positive patient's rights.

Hosted by esteemed journalist Femi Oke, the series explores different aspects of the African continent's art, culture, and social movements. This episode takes a unique approach to show how HIV/AIDS impacts the country's people, particularly the Zulu who suffer from a double burden of poverty and disease. The episode uncovers how the government of late President Mbeki failed to acknowledge HIV/AIDS as a public health crisis.

"We Will Not Die Like Dogs" opens up with moving herds of cows marching in KwaZulu-Natal, in the east coast of the country. The filmmakers then turn to Joyce Dladla, a young woman who is a Zulu traditional healer specializing in herbal remedies. Joyce was later diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, which makes her a pariah in her community. The scenes follow Joyce as she interacts with the TAC members who ask her to publicly disclose her HIV-positive status to help eradicate the shame and stigma that comes with the disease.

The episode has several emotional moments, such as when the group of supporters and the TAC sing protest songs outside the court where Joyce is charged with a petty crime. With this, the film invokes a sense of kinship and collective courage among the members of the TAC. Through it all, the TAC remains a crucial player in challenging the South African government's inaction towards addressing the AIDS crisis.

In another striking scene, the TAC members storm into a conference where former South African President Thabo Mbeki is speaking and demand that he takes action against AIDS. The camera captures the tension of the moment and the movement's frustrations with the government's lack of empathy.

The episode further explores the cultural dimensions of AIDS through paintings, murals, and graffiti dotted around KwaZulu-Natal. These artworks evoke themes such as fear, love, hope, and resistance, all of which are critical to the cultural exchange happening in South Africa around the HIV/AIDS crisis.

The episode then turns to the TAC's attorney, Vuyiseka Dubula-Majola, as she delivers an emotional speech at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Dubula-Majola talks about her experience living with HIV/AIDS and fighting for the rights of those affected by the disease. Her words move the audience and remind us of the need for collective action against HIV/AIDS.

Throughout the episode, the filmmaker highlights how the South African people's resilience in the face of the disease and how individuals and communities are not just victims but agents of change. The strength of the TAC in demanding justice cannot be ignored, making this episode a powerful call to action against HIV/AIDS not just in South Africa, but in the world.

Overall, "We Will Not Die Like Dogs" is a moving addition to the Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange series. Hostage by Femi Oke, the episode provides a glimpse into the cultural, political, and socio-economic implications of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, and how a group of passionate activists makes a difference. Viewers will come away with a deeper understanding of the disease's impact and how grassroots activism can be a catalyst for change.