south african photographer tsoku maela explores ancestral spirituality in ‘barongwa: i am that i am’ exhibition

‘Barongwa: I Am That I Am’ is an upcoming exhibition by photographer Tsoku Maela’s at Cape Town’s 99 Loop gallery. After an undiagnosable illness landed him in the hospital in 2014, Maela sought the healing power of traditional Sepedi culture where ancestral worship is still apart of contemporary life. “My guardian angels made their presence felt,” he told 99 Loop. “In my dreams they came alive, first in voice, then in form.” It was during this time that Maela also turned to photography as a creative and spiritual outlet. Soon after reconnecting with his cultural roots, Maela’s undiagnosed ailments cleared up.

http://99loop.co.za/exhibitions/2016/7/7/tsoku-maela-barongwa