African Tribe Women Series:

Here I have created a series of 3 A5’s pieces, two being Lino prints and one being a pointillism pen drawings. Each one of these prices have a story behind them and are all based upon different documentaries that I have watched. The two documentaries that inspired me to create this set are both based on tribes, the names of these documentaries were: The Masia Women’s TRACKS and The British Tribe next door.

Both documentaries inspired me deeply and really did make me think about how we all go on in our everyday lives.

Lino number one is based on co-wifing which is when one man would have more than one wife which is more than normal for them and also classed as a benefit. I was really interested in hearing their story and then reflecting back to my self and the people around me and how our views are very different upon this subject but who is to say who is right and who is wrong?

Piece number two which is my pen drawing using a pointillism technique ( a drawing method that consists of dot’s) is based upon labour in tribes. So with these women been tribe members this also means they are not located near to any Hospitals so they tend to give birth in their huts. The tribes believed the person who delivered the babies would have to be a older woman who’s children had already grown up and the number of people that was allowed in the hut was limited to two. The woman would had to eat using a special spoon and bowl and her and her baby would not be allowed to leave this hut until the baby’s Umbilical Cord had fell off as they were seen as unclean during this process. So the woman in my drawing is the midwife who is just about to deliver the woman’s child.

My next Lino print is then based on a pure mother and child moment. As you can see the mother is breast feeding her child, I didn’t want to add to much into this piece as I wanted the full focus to be on such a innocent and precious time. Women in Tribes always Breast feed their babies, this is due to their limit of resources.