Malawi
James Samikwa – God Our Mother
Malawi – Dedza Diocese – Mua Parish – Parish Church High over the nave of the church hangs James Samikwa’s depiction of God Our Mother. God – Chauta (one of several Chewa names for God) is depicted, as often in Kungoni art, concealed behind a mask, which suggests here a smiling mother who extends…
Read MoreMwadza Maleka – Nativity
Malawi – Dedza Diocese – Mua Parish – Parish Church We will enter the church tomorrow… However, as today is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we will celebrate by introducing the first of many Kungoni Nativities. This is an early attempt, which was made for the parish by Mwadza Maleka and…
Read MoreClaude Boucher & Joseph Kadzombe – The Visitation
Malawi – Dedza Diocese – Mua Parish – Parish Church This is Claude Boucher’s companion piece to Mary Help of Christians and is placed to the right of the West door. The Gospel account of the Visitation is brought to life in strong African colours and dress. Malawians, unlike so many in richer countries,…
Read MoreClaude Boucher & Joseph Kadzombe – Mary Help of Christians
Malawi – Dedza Diocese – Mua Parish – Parish Church The West door of the parish church is flanked by two frescoes in cement, which are the first of many that will appear on these pages. The one to the left depicts Mary Help of Christians, which is the dedication of the church and…
Read MoreFriday Jibu – Aloe
Malawi – Private Collection Here, from the same collection, is Friday Jibu’s Aloe. There is a gallery of images of this striking plant growing in Malawi here and there is botanical information here. The most authoritative book length account is by a long serving Anglican missionary: Lane, S.S. (2004). A Field Guide to the Aloes of…
Read MoreFriday Jibu – Human Skull
Malawi – Private Collection Today, another head by a different artist. Kungoni carvers have left Malawi to find work as far afield as Norway and South Africa. On his arrival in Cape Town Friday Jibu, who is the son of Jibu Sani, one of the longest standing of all Kungoni carvers, developed a style…
Read MoreThomas Mpira – Head of Mbona
Malawi – Private Collection Thomas Mpira works in many idioms: Chewa and Ngoni, Christian and African Traditional Religion (ATR). For this piece he was commissioned to represent (for the first time in art) the severed head of Mbona, the rain priest who is commemorated in Nsanje (in the far South of Malawi) as having…
Read More