taïna mueth
Nneka - “Mother is Supreme”
“Why is it that one of the commonest names we give our children is Nneka, or ‘Mother is Supreme’ ?” - Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart
Nneka is a visual exploration of the significance of motherhood and womanhood through history and the importance of a mother in one’s life. It’s a representation of mothers as keepers of the past, of the traditions and forgotten knowledge. In pre-colonial West African societies, women were valued and led active lives not solely relegated to the domestic sphere. Their voices mattered, and they acted as an autonomous organization coexisting in a patriarchal system. This all changed with the arrival of colonialism since European colonial policies were discriminating towards women. “Mother is Supreme” because she is the backbone of the family, where life begins and gets rejuvenated.
