Amandla

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Back to her roots, Anneke explores her own past with this piece. As part of the Flight of Fancy series, Amandla is a Xhosa and Zulu word meaning "power". The word was a popular rallying cry in the days of resistance against Apartheid, used by the African National Congress and its allies. The leader of a group would call out "Amandla!" and the crowd would respond with "Awethu" or "Ngawethu!" (to us), completing the South African version of the rallying cry Power to the People!. The word is still associated with struggles against oppression. She is mounted on the shadow Africa has cast on Anneke life. Anneke uses the female form in heels to explore her struggles as a girl from Africa out of Africa. Her heart is reaching out from its past with the knowledge of injustices committed by her own people, yet trying to escape the shadows cast by her ancestors actions. If an emotional contradiction can be put to form, this piece is it. Edition of 11.

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