The house that raised me and the man that lives in it

EDITION

2022, Shortlisted

school

University of Cape Town,
South Africa

My family has its known history rooted in the Swiss Missionary works in South Africa. My great, great grandfather Viki migrated with the missionary's expansion project from their Valdesia Mission station to Shiluvani, where they formed the Shiluvani Mission Station. One of his children, Bethuel, who is connected to my lineage, bought a piece of land in the area with the church's help. This piece of land, known as the Sedan KT18 potion 11 is still in my family and is now under the executive of my grandfather, the oldest living member of our family. We investigate his house in this selected body of work, forming part of a more extensive book that explores the traces of the mission in the objects and memories kept in his house. He was the last of our generations that grew up on the mission; all his children and grandchildren grew up on the farm.

When I started investigating our history, he and his house were a big source of information and material on the subject. Going into his house with all this information altered how I looked at everything and influenced what and how I photographed the space. 

The images became a window to stories, memories, moments, and histories I am learning about my family and myself.