“Mwende”

Photography by Osborne Macharia:https://facebook.com/kulture63

Props/Styling/Production: KEVIN ABRAHAM
Make Up Artist: VALARY MDEIZI
Hair Stylist: RICHARD KINYUA & CORRINE MUTHONI
Concept Illustrator: JEFF OTIENO
Assistants: VICTOR NDALO, JARED MAINA, JOSEPH KYULE

CREATOR’S COMMENTARY: This is the story of a special unit of four women in a small village within Kipipiri Forest. They were the wives to four of the Mau Mau generals and, just like their men, they too had leadership roles. These women would be endowed in the most unique hair styles whenever a full moon was approaching. To the ordinary folk this was normal, but to the villagers of Kipipiri, their hair style was symbolic. Little is known of the 4 brave women till now.

[Mwende] was the lead entertainer and the only one among the 4 who never went into the forest. Instead she stayed behind preparing the women in the village in welcoming their men back home. She was a great dancer with powerful vocals and would lead the women in song and dance as the men approached home. She designed her own mouth piece that had pipes connected to vocal resonators in her hair.