LOOKBOOK
STORIES WE CHERISH TAXI BROUSSE PRINT, COLLECTION 03, 2021
When a story is based on an experience, it helps to shape a life. And in Africa, a story is often formed through invention following necessity.
Volunteering at a children’s home in Madagascar, a routine trip to pick up the children from school became an emergency when the spacious 4×4 we’d use broke down. Too far to walk, a Renault 4 was the only other vehicle we had! But – necessity and invention – we all squeezed in. All the children and four adults, we even had a gorgeous young baby we had earlier collected from the police station.
It was not the most comfortable journey, and certainly not the quietest, but it was ideal preparation for the taxi brousse that ferried me around the island as my trip continued. Part bus, part taxi, this put our Renault 4 to shame. Add to the adults, children and babies ducks and chickens weaving around our legs as we contorted to find an ounce of comfort. Oh, and let’s not forget the goats on the roof.
But that’s Africa. Nothing is impossible. Necessity fuels the resourcefulness in the mother continent of invention.
The Beginning: Unveiling Our Creative Process.
I remember in 2021 I was going for my daily run and there was a circus in the middle of the park, I decided to take a detour from running and go to see the show. I hadn’t been to the circus for the longest time. Whilst I sat in the audience watching the circus, I was unexpectedly transported back to my childhood memories of gumboot dancing. It was like reliving some of the performances I used to do when I was part of the Chipawo group in Zimbabwe. I was struck by the realisation that every dance has a story to tell, and a meaning to convey.
From that moment on, I became obsessed with learning more about the traditional dances of different African cultures. I discovered that they were all deeply rooted in spirituality and resistance against oppression. The more I delved into the history and culture of different African communities, the more I appreciated the beauty and significance of their dances. This led me to develop the print.
The illustrator who helped with this print was Ben, a Zimbabwean self-taught illustrator and animator. We had to work super closely to achieve the final version of the print.