{"id":28,"date":"2023-11-20T14:55:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T12:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/?p=28"},"modified":"2023-11-22T23:25:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T21:25:17","slug":"mbuso-mtsweni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/blog\/2023\/11\/20\/mbuso-mtsweni\/","title":{"rendered":"Mbuso Mtsweni"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Deity of the Water: <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Designing a consecrated space that allows the people of KwaNdebele to engage with the body of water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introduction:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Childhood Adventures and Spiritual Encounters<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • As a child, I embarked on adventures exploring nature with friends, often encountering mysterious and sometimes dangerous environments, believed to be inhabited by spiritual beings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • An incident in 2004 near the Klipspruit in Vlaklaagte, my hometown, revealed the tragic history of a nearby water body.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Cultural Significance of Water in Ndebele Culture<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • As a Ndebele, my culture involves traditional ceremonies and rituals conducted at bodies of water for various purposes, including initiation and transition into adulthood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • In 2004, a sacred “iqude” ceremony near the Klipspruit took a tragic turn when a flash flood, known as “uNomlambo,” claimed the lives of five young women.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Historical Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Vlaklaagte-Een: A Brief History<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Vlaklaagte-Een, situated in Mpumalanga, was originally a farmland that underwent transformation into a suburban area in the 1970s, adjacent to the Klipspruit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • The Klipspruit was converted into a dam between 1979 and 1985 to supply water to Vlaklaagte and nearby farms, a process marred by scandals and tragic incidents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Community Insights<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • An interview with a community member, Nombuzini, revealed local beliefs in a mysterious water creature inhabiting the dam, leading to fear and caution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • She recounted stories of relatives and community members losing their lives and witnessing the mutilation of their catches while fishing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Translating the Project into Architecture:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • The Design Concept<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • My project emerges from mythologies, personal experiences, and my connection to water bodies, aiming to alleviate fear and inspire reverence for nature.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The design is inspired by the concept of a serpent snake governing water bodies and is a consecrated space for the people of KwaNdebele to engage, perform rituals, and develop a harmonious relationship with the water body in Vlaklaagte-Een.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Long-term Goals<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The project’s long-term objective is to preserve indigenous African stories by designing spaces that archive our knowledge about the universe and our place within it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • A unique feature of the design is the use of pathways to mimic the movements of a serpent snake, signifying its active times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Concept: Storytelling, Performance, and Grounding<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The project proposes a gateway into water bodies revered by believers in the serpent snake uNomlambo, offering a sacred space for quests to connect with nature and learn the importance of indigenous stories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        In conclusion, “The Deity of the Water” project is not just an architectural endeavor but a cultural and spiritual revival, bridging the gap between myth and modernity. It represents an opportunity to honor and preserve our cultural heritage and foster a respectful and symbiotic relationship between the people of KwaNdebele and the sacred waters of Vlaklaagte-Een. Thank you for your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        The Deity of the Water: Designing a consecrated space that allows the people of KwaNdebele to engage with the body of water Introduction: Historical Background: Translating the Project into Architecture: In conclusion, “The Deity of the Water” project is not just an architectural endeavor but a cultural and spiritual revival, bridging the gap between myth […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barch-hons","category-unit-8"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1529,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28\/revisions\/1529"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsa.ac.za\/summer-show\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}