Written by Kafui Offori
You can read Part II of this recap right here if you missed it. Thank you to everyone who made it for the festival. For those who couldn’t, we go again later this year. Enjoy!
Day Two of Sexual Utopia 2023 started in the absolute best way possible – a brunch where we got to talk about sex! It was hosted by our MC for Day One and former festival co-director, Nana Akosua Hanson, together with Onyango, who was on the Sex and Mental Health panel. It also doubled as a time for sexy storytelling – ‘Raunchy Renditions’ was the saucy name given to that. There’s something about sex and food in the morning isn’t there? And personally, once Ghanaian singer Amaarae said she liked her ‘coffee with some head in the morning,’ that was all the confirmation I needed!
Brunch was really lovely, but the raunchy renditions took the spotlight. The erotic poetry readings and recitals were so good, and all the short stories that were told proved to be quite captivating. Whether it was the one about someone’s first time with a sex worker, or the story about a first lesbian sexual experience and being penetrated…well…everywhere; the salacious story that was told about a public sex experience, or Solange sharing some titillating details of an erotic massage, everything we heard made for extremely interesting convo. Brunch to kick us off for Day Two was perfect.
The workshops were next – Sunday was all about the practical. The first one was on Somatic Healing, and was conducted by the sexy Madaam Seduction. Somatic healing is a type of therapy and healing practice that focuses on body movements as a way to connect the mind and inner self. It can help improve mental health, aid in trauma recovery, among other things. Our facilitator took participants through very practical exercises, which many people I spoke to after described as simple enough to remember, but extremely helpful and easy to carry into their everyday life.
The next workshop was on Radical Self Acceptance with Majic, and anything with Majic is bound to tug at your heart strings. Majic went very personal, as only they can, and spoke about their initial internal conflict in thinking they could only identify as a stud at one point, while wanting to experiment with femininity. They spoke about how their partners were not receptive to their desire to explore all the ways that they could be, restricting them because of what their perceived expression was, and what they believed it should remain. It was frankly very moving, and there were some tears in the crowd. Majic’s demonstration of how they eventually found the strength to start to choose themself, get out of situations that were not serving them, and begin the process of self acceptance in the face of the most trying of odds, was incredibly powerful.
Tsegofatso Senne’s Playtime Workshop was next, and that was so much fun! Participants were made to sit in a circle, with the session starting with a card game. Cards with questions like who you want to take home tonight, who has had the most interesting sexual experiences etc. were pulled out, and people answered pretty freely. Then there was the demonstration in front of some play techniques, with flogging being the biggest hit (these puns keep writing themselves). This really was great fun!
Kui Mahihu and Siphumeze Khundayi weren’t just a tandem on the Sex and Mental Health panel the day prior – they also had their own workshop to facilitate, on Sex and Spirituality. This was another powerful session, and once again, a few people could be seen shedding a tear or two as they fully immersed themselves in everything that was going on.
Now, our final workshop for the day? Whew! It was a blockbuster one. I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard about Tantric Sex, but an experience like the one that was had during that workshop? If you weren’t there, you missed A LOT. For those who may not already know, tantric sex is a sexual practice that seeks to connect people in deeply intimate and spiritual ways, through their bodies. It is a meditative practice of pleasure that can provide deep sexual and emotional fulfilment. This workshop was facilitated by Nakashwa, a brilliant expert in the art of the tantric. She talked through various movements and positions with us, and before long the level of intensity had skyrocketed. It seemed the natural progression of this intensity was for the burden of clothing to be shorn, and our facilitator’s nude form on stage (yes, you read right) made a few people feel comfortable enough to take off certain items of clothing. It was intimate, it was fun, it was intense, and a LOT was gleaned. A beautiful, beautiful session.
Just like that, Day Two had come to an end! But not before we were treated to a sumptuous meal of a performance by the duo we’d all been waiting for – King Noire and Jet Setting Jasmine, along with their sub for the day, the gorgeous Kaz herself. I’m not sure how we were able to breathe as that performance was going on; such was the level of HOTNESS. Kaz started it off with a solo pole performance that left everyone salivating – just the appetiser. The main meal was too much for us to handle, but we took it all like the champs we are, as King Noire and Jet Setting Jasmine proceeded to double dom Kaz, with some flogging, spanking and a little choking, all to sensual music and the ‘ouuus’ and ‘ahhhhs’ of a thirsty, horny crowd. And we know how thirsty this crowd was because of what happened as dessert. While Kaz received some much needed aftercare from her partner Majic, tens of people eagerly made their way to the stage at the request of our star duo, ready to be flogged as well. Nairobi heard some very delicious sounds that night; let’s just leave it at that.
That, people, is how we wrapped up our 2023. Sexual Utopia is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and – and I mean this wholeheartedly – I hope we all get a taste of it at some point. Kaz and her team in Kenya really implemented a practically flawless event, and from the Ghana team we tip our hats to her, Sankara, Bernice, Guya and everyone who came together to make this the event that it was.
To our Sexual Utopia!
