Zizipho Poswa

iKhazi VIII Miniature (Agreed Number of Cows) is a maquette based on South African artist, Zizipho Poswa’s ceramic and bronze series, iLobola  which pays homage to the spiritual offering at the heart of the ancient African custom of lobola, or bride-wealth: the cow. Whereas traditionally the groom’s family would gift a certain number of cows to the bride’s family after a process of negotiation between the two parties, in more recent times the animals are often replaced by a monetary payment – leading the practice to be viewed as more commercial in nature. But this obscures the primary purpose of lobola, says Poswa – that of ukwakhiwa kobuhlobo, the building of relations between the two families.

iKhazi refers to a herd of cattle exchanged to denote the union of two families otherwise known as iLobola, which Poswa’s references to explore her personal experience and heritage.