Dunset over Gqebera

The first photo that I'm proud of. This was taken at 5.30 where the Apple Express line crosses 3rd Avenue, looking towards Walmer Township.

What we do at the Human Dignity Centre

This was almost like scrapbooking, but its actually a display in the centre showing what we are doing at the Human Dignity Centre. I know my background is not very nice but it was supposed to be little traditional cooking pots. It shows that we are trying to -

• alleviate poverty by creating opportunities to work for food, blankets, clothing etc.
• create income for the families
• educate the children
• ensure the orphans are cared for
• ensure that people receive emotional support.

And of course - most importantly - to encourage others to seek a deeper walk with the Lord.

I painted this to try raise funds for our centre. The little pics around the border are contrasting modern urban Xhosa life and rural life. It is hanging in the museum but I don't know what price to ask. Anyone have a clue?

Were you born on the "wrong" side of the track?

Walmer is a suburb in Port Elizabeth divided by a railway line. On the one side mansions with high walls house a few people in luxury. On the other side thousands of mostly unemployed people live in cramped little shacks. This little display is in the museum.

Time is a Western thing - Ixesha is now

The clock is to depict the traditional life of the Xhosa person - from birth and the belief in ancestors. The clock border is made of rolled up magazine pages. This was done by the community so that we all play a part in the displays of the museum.

Typical apartheid scene

Toy soldiers were "adapted" to make Xhosa people 'toyi-toyi' ing (an African way of dancing while protesting) and to make police men. Card board was used to make the buildings, shacks and Casspir (riot vehicle). From reading more widely now, it becomes obvious that the protests were often peaceable when the police were not. I feel such compassion on people like Mandela, who tried by all means to bring about fairness without violence, and only resorted to guerilla tactics on unmanned government premises when all non violent means were failing (after 30 years of peaceful pressure.)

The smoke from the burning tyre (in case you were wondering) is cotton wool covering a pipe cleaner to make the smoke rise. Click on the photos if you want to read the banners.

Can you imagine it?

The tap was created as a display for the museum. I made it to draw attention to the fact that many people living in the shack areas have to walk 2-3 kilometers to the closest tap and have no toilets. I am hoping that the poverty and difficulties of the people will move the people to help.

SA flag with a difference

The museum has a storage area and the construction team didn't put in a door. I made the curtain out of children's balls so that it looked like a large beaded flag.

Sandile's Makoti

Hee Hee. This was a bright all white mannequin donated by Woolworths, which I painted brown for the museum. When the staff saw it they dressed her and pulled the scarf over her eyes. Apparently a new bride wears these clothes and must not show her eyes. She must follow a little child who walks in front of the young bride so that she shows that she will not look at another man again. After they had explained all this they said the mannequin was Sandile's bride! For you who don't know, Sandile is a handsome hunk who works at HDC (the Human Dignity Centre.

Nelson Mandela - my hero

Finished at last! Those of you who know me from HDC and know that we are trying to get a museum going may also know that I was painting Mandela for this project. I am glad to have had the privilege because he is my hero. I think SA would be very different if a man such as Mandela was still leading us. Much to Derricks disgust, (because he wants others to know who painted it) I signed the picture Ndiyamthanda Mandela instead of my name - it means "I love Mandela."