Only three from the crowd, clad in white, are visible. The leftmost woman is the least seen. Her clothing gleams the brightest. Her partly revealed face shows the direction of her gaze. She seems unaware of her presence in the photograph being made. The same can apply to the woman on the right, who has turned in a three-quarter profile. The shawl on her head, raised presumably by her hair, is shaped like a spire. And her eyes are either downcast or completely shut, as if in a state of communion with the divine. The girl in the centre takes a frontal pose. Her head is tilted sideways and downwards. Her gaze is direct and, behind the folds of her shawl, seems like an anchor to which a viewer’s eye is pulled. The non-uniformity of their poses is counterbalanced by the uniformity of their clothing, which gives a hint of the physical appearance of the crowd. Behind them there is a scatter of blurred points.

— Zenas Ubere

This photograph was made during an event in Durban, South Africa. The event, called Umkhosi WeLembe, is the commemoration and celebration of King Shaka’s legacy, which was strongly rooted in building and sustaining a united Zulu nation. A large crowd attends the event. Among the attendees are members of the Nazareth Baptist Church – the second-largest African-initiated church. The young women that appear in the image are maidens of the church. 

Because there was a large crowd at the event, I held my distance. As the festivities went on, I looked for those in-between instances, those “by the way” moments that occurred but formed part of the day.

I enjoy this image because of the subtle movement that was photographed.

I always approach photography with a sensitivity to the people and the culture around me. I am more interested in culture and the way people use it as an expression of life. Photography then becomes the medium I use to facilitate the conversation between the interest and the knowledge. When particularly working with communities, I am always reminded of how images and storytelling can inspire dialogue and how different people from different environments can understand them. Through visual storytelling, people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences can use the camera to share their narratives. This provides an inclusive process for participation and different ways of learning.

— Mandisa Buthelezi

Mandisa Buthelezi is a cultural producer and photographer from South Africa. The importance of cataloguing and documenting African aesthetics through visual art has become an important component of her work. With an appreciation and respect for the culture that has informed her perspective, Buthelezi’s bodies of work and interests lie in using visual arts to document and conduct research on South Africa’s cultural landscape, recording community stories and promoting critical dialogue using arts-based methods. Find more about her work here.