By Savithri Rodrigo
HAMBURG, South Africa (Commonwealth Union)_A giant tapestry weaves a story of pain, loss and rejection but it is also a journey of hope for the future. It’s a tale that began fifteen years ago in the South African village of Hamburg embroidered by over 130 women affected by HIV/AIDS, when the country faced its massive wave of the disease which had wide-ranging impacts on not just those having HIV/AIDS but their families and entire communities.
To assuage some of the despair, the Keiskamma Art Project brought together women to create the 4m x 7m multi-panel altar piece that first debuted in the Anglican Cathedral in Grahamstown. Currently showing in Johannesburg, it has already travelled to England, Canada and the United States. It’s being exhibited at Constitutional Hill until March 2023.
However, it is the coming together of the tapestry is what makes the story so real – it takes one to the very soul of the healing these women needed to get on with life. One of the artists involved in the giant tapestry, Nozeti Makhubalo, faced immense challenges when she became the sole breadwinner for her family after her husband couldn’t provide for them anymore. The healing this tapestry gave her was holistic, touching mind, body and soul. “When the needle pushed the threads through, you are expressing yourself and it relieved me of the everyday stress, most often even asking myself what I’m going to cook tonight,” she said.
The tables and benches became a community meeting ground for like-minded women. The tapestry was the axis upon which each gave the other support, sitting together and sharing burdens which are somewhat assuaged, lifting their spirits when the day was done.
The project also became a conduit to help spread awareness about HIV/AIDS which has now led to a music academy in the village, for youth to learn to sing and play instruments.
While COVID brought people together, HIV/AIDS has always been a great divider. The stigma associated with the disease meant those with HIV/AIDS were ostracized and pushed out of even their own homes sometimes. The act of embroidering together gave each of these women a truss to lean on and a common ground to stand on.
About 14 percent of South Africa’s population lives with HIV, making it the country with the highest prevalence of the virus.
