Zana Masombuka is a visual artist from South African and belongs to the Ndebele, a native South African tribe. Her Nges’rhodlweni series tells us about traditional Ndebele rituals in a contemporary way. On this photograph Masombuka embodies an invitation spirit, who brings the community together. The megaphone – used in her home village to make announcements – covers her face. It invites us to think of who we are on the inside. Her body is painted with traditional Ndebele house painting designs in a geometric pattern. It’s a way of paying homage to the ancestors and to communicate with them. At the same time it’s a sign of resilience: in times of oppression, these house painting designs were a secret language, hidden in plain sight and unreadable to the colonial oppressor.

As a 21st century Ndebele woman, Masombuka wants to present her culture in a contemporary way, in order for it to be embraced by the next generation and shared globally.