These are descendants of refugees from the Mfecane (massive migrations of Nguni peoples) in Natal, largely of Hlubi, Bhele, and Zizi origin, who made their way to the Eastern Cape, where local chiefs succored them. They were previously known in English as the āFingoā people.
Tony Gum inscribes the distinctive traits and characteristics unique to the Mfengu women as never before captured. She captures in great detail the aesthetic and traditional dress of the Mfengu, beading, neck and arm
jewellery typically worn by Mfengu woman. Originally farmers, the Mfengu quickly built themselves schools, created and edited their own newspapers, and translated international literature into their language. Gum focuses on characteristics of Mfengu women depicting their lifestyle and how they would go about their domestic activities. The sticks carried by the Mfengu woman, however, offers a perspective regarding the origins of paper and other colonial and pre-colonial objects like the scroll, attached to the womanās fallingā and ādislocatedā arm. Here, Gum makes the poignant statement that; despite the āface-valueā domestic activities of Mfengu women, like many African women, their contribution is a fundamental link to the survival of this Xhosa tribe. Furthermore, the āfalling scrollā also points to the ādislocationā of women in particular, from the ātreatiesā that have taken over African heritage, cultural assets and people to the detriment of communities and indigenous people here. A subtle appearance of a human hand, ācatchingā and supporting a hold onto the falling arm captured in series introduces an element of realism, underlining the impact of these concurrent truths.
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