Ukuthwasa is an SA term for the calling to become an indigenous healer or a sangoma and it is a practice that draws from the belief that all life, living and dead, is interconnected.
This calling is marked by a process of training for the prospective healer and thereafter the healer plays a pivotal role in maintaining the spiritual health of the community.
This practice is a cornerstone of the African ideology of ubuntu, yet it remains largely misunderstood and misrepresented.
KwaBhaca artist Abongile Majeke is using his latest exhibition, ‘Ukuthwasa’ to debunk myths about the practice and explore its complexities.
Funded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council, the exhibition runs from November 21-December 3 at the Anne Bryant Art Gallery and includes 10 artworks that have been created using graphite, charcoal and colour pencils.
The pieces have taken Majeke two years to develop and they chronicle the various rituals and practices that accompany the calling to be a healer and the acceptance thereof which is called idlozi.
Inspired by the experiences of his relatives who have participated in ukuthwasa, Majeke intends for his exhibition to undo the dichotomy between western and African ideologies and dissociate the practice from stereotypes regarding witchcraft.
The pieces which focus on human subjects, draw attention to the solitude, healing and quiet ritual that accompanies the prospective healer undergoing idlozi.
Running through the works, are subtle inclusions of vivid red pencil that call attention to the rich energy of the practice and the vibrant centuries-long heritage that informs it.
Majeke believes that visual art should act as an archive of contemporary life for the future thus his exhibition also aims to represent ukuthwasa in ways that protect the practice from being exploited and misrepresented in generations to come.
He said: “I chose to make work on this subject because I believe it deserves more recognition.
“I want my work to teach people to refrain from judging what they do not understand but to respect other cultures.
“Working on this exhibition also improved my own knowledge of the practice and through research I was able to see how complex ukuthwasa is.
“The acceptance of idlozi must be completely understood before an individual is initiated.
“People need to be careful of this as several people have suffered from bad assumptions about the practice. It must be understood properly before engaging in it and I hope my exhibition goes some way in promoting this understanding.”
Majeke who has produced work for the state of the province address and the Nelson Mandela Museum hopes to add more work to this exhibition in future.
Members of the public are invited to come and view the exhibition at the Anne Bryant Art Gallery Coach House weekdays until 4pm from now until December 3.
