Indumba

Fana Tshabalala created this work inspired by purification ceremonies in Mozambique.

It was during one of her readings that Fana Tshabalala became aware of the little-known practice of purification ceremonies in Mozambique, and the changes they bring about in the physical and mental health of veterans of the civil war.

Fana Tshabalala felt the need to create a work inspired by this purification ceremony. While observing post-civil war ceremonies in Mozambique and how they affect society and war veterans, he discovered how they serve as rites of passage to create new beginnings and cleanse minds and bodies of the dark thoughts that haunt them. His new work is entitled “Indumba”, in reference to the hut where purification rituals take place in most African countries. People who have experienced these rituals come away with the feeling of having discovered something about themselves, or of having been purified.

With “Indumba”, Fana Tshabalala signs a work in which the body, which usually chooses to ignore the inner voice that guides and nourishes it, gives it the space and time to recover, and a chance to reconnect with it. In this particular space there is no right or wrong, but each moment is appreciated for what it is and what it can be.

Source: http://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/show/indumba/