I BeKoZ YoU, Act 1: the confinement of life-giving stars is rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu (“I am because you are”) which suggests that “one’s humanity is affirmed through recognition of an ‘other’ in his or her uniqueness and difference" (1).
 

In the heart of the rainforest of Democratic Republic of Congo, a small community of indigenous people, the Ekonda Batwa, celebrate certain first time-mothers for giving life. This ancient rite of passage provides young girls, called Walés, with a group process for initiating them into womanhood. It supports their transformation into powerful sovereign women.

Even in the most secluded parts of the forest, humanity progresses. Questioning traditions and building new values, the ritual’s metamorphosis is a beautiful case in point of the Walés’ intrinsic modernity. This project aims to show that they are actually part of a tradition of resisting African women who have survived patriarchal oppression by relying on collective feminine rituals and creative expression (2).

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