Women Museums: Inspiring communities through feminine biographies

Elizabeth Mahiyana is one of the Ndau woman luminaries

BY PHILLIP KUSASA

FOR many years, it has been our intention to focus on the struggle of women and their rise in communities where their rise was not so easy considering the dominance of patriarchal values.

Since time immemorial, women’s achievements have been given little attention yet so crucial. We therefore want to archive feminine biographies that we feel can inspire communities. The young generation is lacking role models both in the socio and economic discourse.

Through this year’s theme, we can reinforce the mantra that women can do and we hope our communities are going to borrow a leaf.

Many women especially from the once male dominated communities have fought hard to stand tall both in the socio-economic terrain but they are invisible. So through a thorough research on such luminaries, photo exhibitions are going to be put in place. Also we want to put their stories on the wall for people to read.

As an organization, we are committed to building community museums that will serve as information centre-nerve. For us access to information is empowerment especially in such once marginalised communities.

For such communities that once been marginalised, most young people can remain ignorant about international developmental trends under which feminism is topical. So mainstreaming feminine biographies in our programs in a way is empowering communities. This can also build confidence in the girl children .

Let us not forget that knowing history is empowering the present. Archiving and exhibiting the stories of the female luminaries can change the attitudes of our contemporary societies towards women.

The 2024 edition of Ndau festival of the Arts is also going to have a symposium. This brings the reason why it shall be a two day event.