The Land

ABOUT THE PAINTING:

In many parts of Africa, land was considered a gift from the creator. It comprises the soil, water, animals, forests, hills and mountains, valleys and plains, and rivers and streams. A mystical relationship existed between clans and land. Although unwritten and preserved in oral form, traditional wisdom still holds a central position in contemporary African societies. Globalization has led to the destruction of traditional wisdom. The shift from communalism to individualism, a feature of capitalist ideology, has changed the land tenure system from communal or customary tenure to individual ownership. This has weakened social bonds and collective responsibility for land and environmental resources affecting sustainable resource use and management. These ancient wisdom traditions must also be recognized as empowering peripheral local communities and reducing their vulnerability and dependence vis-à-vis the encroachment of a global capitalist economy and ideology”
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