Public Project
Kwalliya -The Evolution
Summary
With the support of a grant from The National Geographic Society, I honed my research skills in exploring the historical and contemporary significance of Kwalliya tattoos. Sharing insights into conducting thorough and ethical research, especially within community contexts allow me to create immersive storytelling experiences that bridge traditional and contemporary art forms. Building trust and fostering meaningful connections with local communities was at the heart of my practice as I learned invaluable strategies for co-creating projects that honour and celebrate community stories.
The continuing project Kwalliya examines the significance of identification through the intricate aesthetics and practicalities of ancestors' facial and body markings. Facial and body markings are an extinction-threatened cultural practice that has been worn as a form of ornamentation and an identification tool for generations. I have been motivated to investigate the significance and meaning of these marks, which are particular to various cultures and communities, as a result of my intense interest about understanding my culture and identity.
I've always been captivated by the lines, angles, spaces, thickness, depth, and the creative intent behind how they are drawn. I find it particularly fascinating how each person interacts with their marks and how these marks affect their personality. I have learned a lot about many symbols and their meanings via my research, especially the adinkra symbols, which share many similarities with the body tattoos I discovered on the people i have worked with.
I was able to associate the meanings with the characteristics of these women after spending time with them and hearing their experiences; the majority of them were unaware of the marks' significance yet lived by them all their lives. All of the ladies with these marks have shared their life lessons, love stories, memories, happy ends, significant decisions, and rich cultural heritage through their stories. But because this history is in danger of being lost, it must be urgently recorded and protected for present and future generations to value and learn from.
To conserve the history and serve as a unifying force and a springboard for a discussion on diversity, coexistence, and shared histories in a modern context, this project intends to graphically document facial and body marks that are still in use. We can make sure that future generations have access to this rich and distinctive part of our history and can benefit from the tales and experiences of those who came before us by maintaining this cultural practice.
As a way of appreciating diversity, coexistence, and shared histories in the modern world, Kwalliya is a project that strives to document and preserve the history of facial and body markings. Through my investigation and research into this cultural practice, I wish to not only preserve this significant part of our past but also use it to promote dialogue and understanding across many communities and cultures.
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