‘Onthou’ is an audio-visual short film of a recurring dream that begins and ends on the edge of a kelp forest on the Cape Town coast. Emerging from the waters with the sound of a bow, is a dream-walker who leads us to a secret place on the beach under a boulder. This is where dream-walkers of the Cape go to visit their ancestral dreamscapes, bringing back with them stories of their journeys. In this story, water is the portal into the dream realm.

By journeying into the ancestral dreamscape, the rules of engagement with space are subverted. As symbols of South Africa’s colonial heritage, the sites of Taal Monument (1975) and Rhodes Memorial (1912) occupy domineering positions on the mountains. By framing the story that unfolds at these two sites in the realm of the ancestral dreamscape, ‘Onthou’ becomes a reminder that change is an inevitability.

Sam ‘/XAM’ Fortuin is a dynamic visual artist and storyteller from Cape Town. Born in 1997, Sam studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, where he graduated with distinction and received the prestigious Michaelis Prize and Simon Gerson Award. He later earned his Master’s in Fine Art through the Siyakhula Scholarship.

In 2023, he took part in !Habesi (Roots), a landmark exhibition at the Castle of Good Hope, honouring Ouma Katrina, the last fluent speaker of |Nuu. His current project, Grond Stories, brings indigenous stories from land to life through art, exhibitions and workshops.

Beyond his artistic practice, Sam is passionate about mentorship and youth development. He co-founded Aba Té Farm in Gauteng, where he hosts creative workshops that blend art, culture, and community empowerment.