Episode 18: Jane Bizimana, Visual Artist

INTRO: Welcome to the Trailblazers Podcast series by Periplum, sharing the experiences of trailblazers living and working in the Tees Valley: the innovators, activists, workers and adventurers as told in their own words. Episode 18 Jane Bizimana, Visual Artist Lynne [Interviewer] We're here in Stockton-on-Tees in the Tees Valley. It's Wednesday the 10th of June 2025 I’m here with Jane. And can you just tell me a little bit about your childhood and where you grew up? Jane (Interviewee) I was born in Rwanda but grew up in the east of Africa, so my dad used to travel, used to travel a lot, so I grew up in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and my childhood was full of new culture every time and I never had, like, one specific culture to stick to, because we used to travel quite a lot. That's the main thing I remember about my childhood, yes. Lynne [Interviewer] What was family life like? Jane (Interviewee) It was very fluid, so I had lots of relatives that I would stay with, lots of cousins. It was a big family, so it wasn't like a single parent we had, you know, like all the aunties that were your parents at the same time. And all the uncles. Everybody was responsible for the kids. So my childhood was full of behaving well because any grown up would, put me in my place. [laughs] Lynne [Interviewer] [laughs] Yep. What are your happiest memories from that time? Jane (Interviewee) Happiest memory? That's a...interesting question because I've never thought of it, like this is my happiest memory, but I remember. Because of the way we travelled, I remember feeling, it's the nature of the land where I was. So there was a time when we travelled to Kenya and there was this place we were living in. It was my first time to be in a place where there's so much fruits. So, the fence of the homestead instead of using, you know, normal trees, they would use guavas. And that time it was guava period, like ripening periods -you come out and the smell was just fruits. and guavas in the air and, you know, cows used to eat guavas until they don't eat them anymore. But it's that smell. And I remember feeling like, oh, this is nice. Yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] What was school like? Jane (Interviewee) School was hard because I used to travel a lot - different curriculums in different countries. I stayed longer in Kenya, so…. I remember… it was fun, but at the same time there's a lot of disciplining the kids. We used to get beaten with sticks.If you're late, if you failed a test - it was a lot of disciplining, but I really don't remember enjoying school. I don't think I did. Apart from, yeah, in Kenya we had like music season. So we would go and compete for music, poetry and traditional dancing and all that. So we would have like a, a gap in between days when we don't go to classes, we just go and do these things because we're going to compete. Those were my best times at school. Lynne [Interviewer] And you came across to the UK what sort of age were you? Jane (Interviewee) I was around 20, yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] And what were your first impressions? Jane (Interviewee) Well, we landed, huh…we got into the UK at night and the idea in my head that I had with the UK is not what I saw, because we came during winter. It was February, and it was very cold, but you know, like we’re being driven… The plants didn't have leaves on. They looked empty. And I thought the plants were dead [laughs] or something. That was the first shock.I thought, no, this is not the right way and UK had that distinctive smell. That, I don't know how to explain it, but if I travel and go in a different country when I come back, especially in London, it's got a very distinctive smell for me. Lynne [Interviewer] What were those first months like when you were here? Jane (Interviewee) They were hard. There was something missing in the food. It was almost - if I'm eating fruit like a mango, it would not have the actual smell of the mango. And yet it was a mango. So, and a lot of food tasted like that. And I lost quite a lot of my appetite. And I would not eat for a long time because my tongue was not used to this kind of taste. And it felt like I was eating cardboard. I think because of the way I grew up and the sense of smell. And the sense of how organic the food was, especially in east of Africa, we don't use a lot of spices. So there is an authentic smell of the actual original food you're trying to cook. So I struggled. I really struggled with that here. For a long time, yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] And you came to be in Stockton? Jane (Interviewee) Yeah, so… I found out, um...I found out I was pregnant. I came to Stockton and it was a different world, completely different. And I remember the journey from London. We were on the bus and I think it was spring period. And those flowers, the yellow flowers. I think it's for the oil? When we're travelling, I was like [exclaims] what in the world is that? And I would look out of the window and we'll go miles and miles with these yellow, beautiful, bright flowers. I remember taking a picture as well, I was thinking this is incredible! What is that? That was the first impression on my way here to Stockton. Then, when I got here it felt better. I think the air was even fresher when I got here. So it, it felt like, yeah, I could make this work. Yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] What helped you settle in Stockton? Jane (Interviewee) It was my mindset, of knowing that I'm here, I'm gonna bring up a baby and this is where I want their home to be. That was the mindset - I came to settle. And I knew I had this baby as a responsibility, and I needed to create a space for them. Also in the beginning I had a few friends. The drop in centres had just begun, so when I had the baby. When she was 3 weeks old, we went to the first drop-in centre and that's where, you know, I formed a community group that I felt like I could belong to if I wanted to. And I chose to belong there. So that made me feel like, OK, this is where I want to be. Lynne [Interviewer] What happened at the drop in centres? Jane (Interviewee) Those days we would go and er…it was an actual place to go and talk to people, because, by that time there was very few people in Stockton who, who came from different countries. I would walk a whole day in the town centre, and not see one black person, so it was very isolating. We had people from, you know, like Iran, Iraq, just a few. It was not a big number. So the drop-in [centre] was somewhere I could go and meet friendly faces at the same time, just to chat. It was just a place to go and chat and get to know the people around us as well. Lynne [Interviewer] What was important to help you build the life that you've made in Stockton or what helped you build that life? Jane (Interviewee) It was the community, the community, the people around me made it possible for me and I had quite a lot of people who were encouraging as well. It's the caring community groups that I had. They give me a sense of home, you know, like a sense of it's OK, you know, so I adopted quite a lot of people to be part of my family, and it worked out the best way. Lynne [Interviewer] It sounds like you came from a big family, so you were replicating that? Jane (Interviewee) Yes, I and I did that with a sense of I need to create a place where my baby is going to be OK, and where somebody else can look out for my baby if I'm not here. So I was prepared to create a family for her in case I'm not here. Someone else will look after her. But at the same time I was adopting quite a lot of kids,so I had quite a lot of kids in my house from when my baby was young. Even after now we have that occasional time when they all come back and it's, it’s a full house, but it was the joy of giving her this opportunity. At the same time enjoying the kids. The way they were just pure spirits. They are easier to be with, most of the time than adults ‘cos they were just there and I had the time. So that was like a joy as well. And that's where my foundation became because I was thinking if I start working, I want to work around my baby, and if I'm working around my baby, then she might as well be with her friends. And, you know, like, so the idea of growing up with her. She kind of made the journey for me. Because of her, I made the decisions, but they were all around her, so they were not around me. Every decision I made from when she was young… And even up to now, I find myself doing things around her now that she's older, but [laughs] I'm trying to kind of separate, you know, because she's old enough to look after herself. But still, my mindset is still around her. Lynne [Interviewer] So you talked about how important the drop in centres were for you. Jane (Interviewee) Yeh Lynne [Interviewer] Have you kept that connection up with them? Jane (Interviewee) Yes. I started volunteering in 2004. We did some kaftan, we did some sewing in the drop-in, kaftan for our drumming group that was being performed at the festival. And that was the first time that we did something as a project at the drop-in, and that inspired me to continue doing that as well. Because of the way I was feeling after creating and painting, I wanted to share that at other drop-ins. So when the drop-in sessions will begin. I would say, you know, we're doing art, we're doing creative stuff. And I've continuously done that up to now, but er it's not like as often as before, but I still go to the original drop-in centre and talk to the original people who were there from beginning. Some have passed on, but it's the family that I have, you know, I always go back in and we always do the carnival costumes for ourselves every year, yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] How important is S.I.R.F. [Stockton International Riverside Festival] to you then? Jane (Interviewee) It's very important because it's festival, it's a, a fun time for everyone and the shows they bring in are amazing. It took me a while to realise what they do because I would not come to town. But once I realise that this is what is happening, you know, the S.I.R.F. [Stockton International Riverside Festival] and all the things that are around it. I cannot leave a child behind, you know, I want them to come and have fun because it's the one time I can invite people to Stockton and say, come, we have something going on and it's a joyful thing and I don't think you have it wherever you are. [laughs] You know, like showing off. [laughs] Well come and see, we have this! Yeah, it's the one time that I'm proud to kind of invite people to come to Stockton because I know it never lets people down. Lynne [Interviewer] What do you get out of it then, helping people, ‘cos you talked a lot about giving back? Jane (Interviewee) Yeah, yeah, Lynne [Interviewer] Yeah. Jane (Interviewee) I'll explain it as if, you know, like some ladies, when you go to their house, they just want to feed you, feed you, feed you, feed youit's because it gives them joy to give you the food. It's a loving action, you know, to give you something that they've cooked with so much love and they want to share, but the joy of you eating as well is what fulfils them. So for me, with the community groups, especially the young ones, so I'm still going back to the kids, like the child that are brought up here and the kids that I've grown up with here. My passion is still with them. So, is to give them the space to be themselves. But at the same time sharing the joy of being human. I don't want to explain it, but if someone can be around you and you just feel that joy, why wouldn't you want to replicate that and do it over and over again? It's a joy of just experiencing fun, and that is why I do fun things. It has to be with music, dance and it has to be fun because I know for sure it's always a give and take situation when you're having fun. You can't have fun one way, it has to be a combination of everybody around to have the joy of being together. So I think that's what feeds me when it comes to the community groups and the work that I do, I think. Lynne [Interviewer] Who inspires you Jane, or what inspires you? Jane (Interviewee) Ahh the people around me - the people around me do inspire me a lot. Lynne [Interviewer] And we are interviewing you in your studio, which is part of a, a small community centre. Jane (Interviewee) Yeah. Lynne [Interviewer] How did you come to be in this space? Jane (Interviewee) So I've been doing the carnival costumes and community work for a long time. I've had support from different organisations, the ARC [Stockton Arts Centre] and the [Stockton] Council has kind of helped me out with the community group. Lynne [Interviewer] What's the best thing about having this space to work in? Jane (Interviewee) The best thing to have this space is to have a home because we've been looking for a home for a long time. And the work that I've been doing, I've not had a space where I can share with people without cleaning afterwards, that we have to rush and clean or… this is our home. Lynne [Interviewer] So what other things do you do here then, apart from the carnival, which you've… Jane (Interviewee) Yeah Lynne [Interviewer] …talked about and making the costumes Jane (Interviewee) Yeah Lynne [Interviewer] and your community groups? How does the building fit in with the community? Jane (Interviewee) [inhales] So Bizi studios here open to the public as well. It's open to the young ones who want to come and join in the kids group. It’s open to the youths who want to come and join in the youth group. It's open for the ladies’ dance cause we have a ladies dance sessions here as well. We have sewing classes that are…starting slowly, but we have quite a lot of interest in that. And the local community groups can come in, you know, like they want to do their bingo nights here. I want the sense of this building to belong to everybody around here. It's not just Bizi studios. We are growing that situation slowly, but hopefully, you know, like it will be owned and we want to expand outside, put flowers and make sure that the place belongs to the community so that they respect it at the same time, they know if they need it, it's here. Lynne [Interviewer] OK. Is there anything else that you want to say? Jane (Interviewee) I feel privileged. I feel very lucky. I feel at peace with the job I've done. So far. And I appreciate every single person in my life whose made this possible. Yeah. OUTRO: Thank you for listening to Periplum’s Trailblazers Podcasts funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. To listen to more of the series, and follow our projects visit our website at periplumheritage.com