Nyina wa Thonjo (Weaver Birds). Paraecologies for Weaving Conflict Strategies

In the organizer's words:

(German below)

Workshop by Anguezomo Nzé Mboulou Mba Bikoro

Field Marshal Muthoni wa Kirima was one of many forest women who weaved the fabrics of the Mau Mau resistance movement against British settlers in Kenya, using sisal plants as forms of spiritual connection, routes for liberation and for marking the mass graves of murdered populations. Maria Felipe became a prominent female African leader in the anti-colonial liberation in Salvador-Bahia, organizing troops of women to fight with botanical plants from the island of Itaparica around the 1830's. Today the sisal is one of the plants that remain a powerful tool for warding off predatorial spirits and for protection from unwanted attacks.

This workshop session offers embodied practice strategies in the navigation of predatory landscapes and behaviors through plant apothecary. Participants will be guided in creating oils and tinctures based on plants in the garden, which were used as anti-colonial defense tools in historical liberation movements in Brazil, Kenya, Senegal, Madagascar and the US and in times of resistance as wearable omens for self-preservation and positive affirmation. The potion oils serve as balancing the nervous system in care work and protest work. This weaves practices of botanical therapy, obeah ritual apothecary and psychotherapy in times of conflict, connected to training in paraecology practice.

Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. Send us a short note if you want to participate for free to plantstories.zku@gmail.com.

ANGUEZOMO NZÉ MBA BIKORO is a visual artist, writer, somatic body therapist, community cultural worker and curator supporting BIPOC and queer groups using integrative approaches that combines humanistic and abolitionist-inspired methods, de-traumatization tools alongside cognitive behavioural therapy (notably for C-PTSD) and ancestral healing work. Their abolitionist approach is shaped through decolonial embodied practices and awareness of racism, discrimination and gender identity. Their practice honors queer histories and indigenous struggles centering Bakongo Cosmology, Obeah and Orixa practices that empowers communities and shares resources to create tools of safety towards self-awareness & transformation in mental health. Their works on herbalism and ancestral healing often exposes the interwoven colonial histories of migration and ecologies in site-specific spaces to dismantle prejudices and create independent emancipatory tools for liberation, education, and reparation.

This workshop is part of the PLANT STORIES program, running from June - October at ZK/U.

German

Workshop with Anguezomo Nzé Mboulou Mba Bikoro

Field Marshal Muthoni wa Kirima was one of many forest-dwelling women who formed the fabric of the Mau Mau resistance movement against the British settlers in Kenya. They used sisal plants both as forms of spiritual connection and to mark liberation routes or mass graves of the murdered population. Maria Felipe was a prominent African leader of the anti-colonial liberation movement in Salvador-Bahia. Around 1830, she organized troops of women who fought using plants from the island of Itaparica. Today, sisal is still a powerful means of protection against unwanted attacks and to ward off predatory spirits.

In this workshop, participants will learn and practice using plant apothecaries for embodied defense strategies to navigate hostile landscapes and behaviors. They will be guided to make plant-based oils and tinctures that have been used in historical liberation movements in Brazil, Kenya, Senegal, Madagascar and the US as anti-colonial defenses and in times of resistance as portable omens for self-preservation and positive affirmation. The oils are used to balance the nervous system in advocacy and protest work. Practices of botanical therapy, Obeah rites and psychotherapy in times of conflict will be interwoven with training in paraecological practice.

The workshop is open to all regardless of income. Email us at plantstories.zku@gmail.com if you would like to attend without a ticket.

ANGUEZOMO NZÉ MBA BIKORO is a visual artist, writer, somatic body therapist, community cultural worker and curator. Anguezomo supports BIPOC and queer groups with integrative approaches that combine humanistic and abolitionist-inspired methods and de-traumatization tools with cognitive behavioural therapy (especially for C-PTSD) and ancestral healing. Anguezomo's abolitionist approach is informed by decolonial embodied practices with an awareness of racism, discrimination and gender identity. Anguezomo's practice honors queer history and indigenous struggles and draws on Bakongo cosmology, Obeah and Orixa practices to empower communities and share resources for means of self-knowledge and transformation in mental health. The work on herbal and ancestral healing exposes the interwoven colonial histories of migration and ecology in specific places to dismantle prejudice and create independent emancipatory tools for liberation, education and reparation.

This workshop is part of the PLANT STORIES program taking place at ZK/U from June to October.