Ngqoko Women Portrait Photographs

This portrait work was taken in a remote village, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The images are of Traditional Musicians, Healers and Storytellers know as the Ngqoko Women’s Ensemble who have performed in concerts and collaborations all over South Africa and also overseas.

The photos were taken in a traditional round hut known as a Rondevaal (made from mud, and reeds/straw). The camera was a traditional 6×6 film format Hasselblad. I set up portable lighting and mixed this with available lighting. The Ladies are smoking traditional long pipes called Mbheka-phesheya and are playing bowed instruments known as Uhadi and Umhobi.

This work is to be used in a book and exhibition project titled: The Keepers of Music (date: TBA).