KENDU is a word taken from the language of Alur, the mother tongue of the Nilotic people of northern Uganda. It means hearth, or again. This name was given to this project because we wanted an installation that started conversations and raised questions about notions of motherhood, womanhood, and identity.
The installation at MTN Nyege Nyege festival consisted of a structure made from the local material barkcloth (olubugo,) a material singular to Uganda and of cultural significance. The concept was to build a womb and welcome people inside with a cup of specially brewed coffee, to ask them about their rellationship to the womb, and their ideas of womanhood.
People opened up in the space, and talked about their life experiences. The visitors to the womb were a diverse and international group, and it was remarkable to hear their stories and experiences.
