Category Archives: Textualizing Our Own Lives

2015 Mar.3: A Letter to my Mother

Posted on March 3, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

by Sicka ‘Shaz’ Mthunzi Imbokodo is what she is, a mother that I love and respect more than anything in the world. She has the strength of 10 men and a heart full of life and love. She is my … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Creating awareness, Existence, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facilitation, Facing You, Faith, Families and Friends, Family, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human rights, I Am, I am Somebody, I love photography, I was (T)here, Knowledge, Power of the Voice, Powerful, Queer visibility, question of history., Reality, Realization, Recognition, Recording, Records and histories, Reflections, Relationships, relative, Representation, Representing, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Response, revolution, Self love, Self portraits, Self recognition, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing, Sharing information, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Social responsibility, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Stories, Strength, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Touching, Treasure, Voice, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Writing is a Right, Writing matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2015 Feb. 25: Self Portrait of the visual activist

Posted on February 28, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

Camera used:  iPhone 5S Location: Foreign Ministry office, Oslo. Norway. “The true content of a photograph is invisible, for it derives from a play, not with form, but with time”. – John Berger (Understanding a Photograph)        

Posted in Bringing photography to the community, Give children cameras not candies, Motivation, Penetrating mainstream spaces, South African Visible Arts, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Stylish, Subject of Art, Subjects, Success, Survived, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visualizing our lives, Visuals, Voice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2015 Feb. 13: From Johannesburg to Oslo

Posted on February 18, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

Photo Album by Nontuthuzelo Mduba, Themba Vilakazi and Zanele Muholi   2015 Feb. 10:  Shaz aka “Sicka Starban” Mthunzi was lucky enough to be accompanied by her family to the airport. Her mother is standing on the far left (wearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Arguments, Art Activism, Art is Queer, Art Therapy, Articulation, As we are, Background, Beautiful faces, Beauty, Before You, Being, Being conscientized, Being heard, Being seen, Black Lesbian Love, Bodies and histories, Body, Brave, Bringing photography to the community, Brotherhood, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Creating awareness, Expenses, Expression, For peace sake, Friends, Friendships, From Johannesburg to Oslo, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Give, Gratitude, Happiness, Happy, Hardships, He(ART), Homosexuality, Honesty, Hope, Human Beings, Human rights, I am not the only one, I am Somebody, I can't do it ALONE, I love my brothers, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Important, Incredible, Independence, Individuals, Influenced, Inkanyiso media, Inner feelings, Innocent, Interaction, Interpretation, Interviews, Intimate, Introductions, Issues, Issues of sexuality, Key issues, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Laughter, Layout, Legacies of Existence, Legacy, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Let us give a girl child a chance, Life, Life is a production..., Like to travel, Mobility, Photographs, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Power of the Voice, Queer Power, queerity, question of history., Questioning, Sharing information, Shaz Sicka Starban Mthunzi, South Africa, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, The Chroniclers, The cost of travel, Time, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Touching, Understanding, Videography, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Work, Writing is a Right | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2015 Jan. 16: Non/Believers of New Year’s resolutions

Posted on January 20, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

Interviews by Lebo ‘Leptie’ Phume For years now I’ve been jotting down my new years resolutions and not even once have I followed them. I now find it useless for me to waste my time and write them down knowing very well … Continue reading →

Posted in Archived memories, Collectivism, Community outreach, Community work, Conversation, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Diversity, Healthier, Important, Individuals, Inner feelings, Power of the Voice, Present, Readings, Support, Textualizing Our Own Lives, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2015 Jan.15: Committed Union… 6 months later

Posted on January 17, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

by Vuyisile Shabalala Our journey as a committed couple planning our wedding has come into being. Being engaged to a person like Happy Mchunu makes it easy. She fulfils me and completes my entire existence. Compromises and understanding plays a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Creating awareness, Durban, Expression, Lesbian, Power of the Voice, Queer visibility, Relationships, Relatives, revolution, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Strength, Struggling, Style, Supporting each other, Teachings, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Through thick and thin, together, Together we can, Touching, Townships, Understanding, Visibility, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, Voice, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Writing is a Right, Writing matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2015 Jan. 5: An ally shares her perspective

Posted on January 17, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

Book Review When I started reading the book I had already received a review from my cousin. At first it was hard not to look and read it using the glasses that she provided. My wish was to read it … Continue reading →

Posted in 20 Years of Democracy in SA, 8 years, Academics, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Article, Articles, Articulation, As we are, Author, Background, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Before You, Being, Being conscientized, Being heard, Black & White, Black bodies, Black lesbian activism, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian visibility, Book, Book Review, Community education, Community outreach, Consideration, Education, Faces and Phases (2006-14), Freedom, Loved, Magnitude, Motshidisi Mabalane, Oppression, Previous links, Protecting, Published by Steidl, Reviewers, She, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Success, Supporting each other, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Time, Timing, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2015 Jan. 3: I dropped out of the closet many times

Posted on January 13, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

“It is a story about my coming out, its more significant than any part of my life history” Being who I am should not compromise who you are. The road to coming out was not easy. I was born in … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Beatings, Creating awareness, Expression, Eyes, Face, Faces & Phases portraits, Faces and Phases (2006 - 2014), Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Inner feelings, Insulted, Interaction, Interpretation, Intervention, Irritation, Issues of sexuality, Knowledge, Language, Lesbian, Lessons learnt, Life, Life is a production..., Life lived, Life Stories, Life story, Live, Living, Living by example, Longing, Look at me, Loss to the black lesbian community, Lost Lives, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Mainstream spaces, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Making a mark, Memories, Moments, Moments in herstory, My body, My life in short, Nasty, Nature, Participants, Participation, Patience, Personification, Photo Expressions, Pleased, Political space, Politics of existence, Portraiture series, Power of the Voice, Powerful, Presentations, Pressure, Previous life stories, Privilege, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Queer & Straights, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Power, Queer visibility, Queer Zimbabwe, Questions, Questions and Answers, Readers, Readings, Real, Reality, Realization, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Recognizing the problem, Recording, Records and histories, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Relatives, Remembering, Reminiscing, Report, Representation, Representing, Resentments, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Rumours, safe, Scared, Scripted, Scriptures, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silence, Smile, Solidarity, Solution, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African townships, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Straights, Struggles, Struggling, Suffered, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Survived, Teachings, Tears, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Time, Timing, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touching, Transformation, Transparency, Trust, Tshona is a Zimbabwean language, violation of rights, Violence, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Weeping, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice?, Writing is a Right, Zimbabwe | 22 Comments

2015 Jan. 9: Inkanyiso crew and friends visit Inanda FM

Posted on January 13, 2015 by inkanyiso2009

Where:  Inanda 88.4 FM offices When:  9th Jan. 2015 Why:  Because it is much needed (we believe in building and maintaining queer relations) Camera used:  Blackberry Z10 Just wrapped up an uplifting tour at Inanda FM, where we met with … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Black Women in Media, Creating awareness, Expression, Inanda, Inanda 88.4 FM, Life partner, Listeners, Mapule Ngobese, Power of the Voice, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Silence, South Africa, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thandeka Msani-Ngobese, Transgenderism, Visualizing our lives, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Women in South African Arts, Women loving women, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Words, Work, Writing is a Right | Leave a comment

2014 Dec. 14: The kiss that moved the church

Posted on December 14, 2014 by inkanyiso2009

© Photo by Charmain Carrol @ VMCI – Johannesburg Camera used:  Canon 60D with 75-300 mm lens   What: Bathini Dambuza & Portia Dludlu’s engagement ceremony Union blessed by Pastor Mazibuko       “I always prayed to get married … Continue reading →

Posted in Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Apology, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Articles, Articulation, Attention, Audience, Background, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Beauty, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Being seen, Black Bodies of Silence, Black lesbian beauty, Black Lesbian Icons in South Africa, Blackness, Blessings, Bodies, Bodies and histories, Body, Bonding, Brave, Bringing photography to the community, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Categories, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenges of black lesbian youth, Characters, Choice, Citizenship, Civil Union, Claiming, Collaborations, Collective, Comfort, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress code, Dress sense, Embodies, Emotional support, Empowerment, Encounter, Endurance, English, Entertainment, Evidence, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Face, Facilitation, Facing You, Facts, Families and Friends, Family, Family and Friends, Fashion, Featuring, Feelings, Female being, Frank, Freedom, Friends, Friendships, Function, I use CANON, I was (T)here, Identity, Perception, SA Constitution, SA LGBTI experts, Self love, Self recognition, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silence, Silent voices, Social responsibility, Society, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African lesbians, South African politics, South African struggle, South African traditions, South African Visible Arts, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Space, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Statement, Subject of Art, Support is the system, Supporting each other, Survived, Teaching young women photography, Tears, Terrified, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Thoughts, Time, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

2014 Oct. 31: Visiting Queer families and friends

Posted on November 14, 2014 by inkanyiso2009

  2014 Oct. 23:  The day we visited the Simelane family in KwaThema. In the picture is Lerato Dumse, Mally Simelane (Eudy’s mother) and Zanele Muholi.   2014 Oct. 23: Lindeka Qampi photographing the three as we continued with our … Continue reading →

Posted in About PhotoXP, Activism, Activists Act, African, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Activism, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thoughts, Time, Together we can, Visibility, Visual activism, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, We Love Photography | Tagged | Leave a comment