Visualising M’bona religious beliefs and practices : a visual cultural artistic co-production with the custodians of Khulubvi and Associated Rain Shrines in Nsanje, Malawi

Abstract

The study examines the role of the visual in research and documentation by analysing the power relations between the visual, oral, and written forms in the context of heritage preservation, drawing on theories of visual culture. The project aimed to visualise the M’bona beliefs and practices for the adornment of a future museum in a manner that strikes a balance among the three (visual, oral, and written) for heritage sustainability. The vision aligns with the concept of ‘decolonizing heritage for development,’ where development encompasses improvements in both material and non-material aspects, the ability to help others, and a change in individual and collective circumstances. Heritage, on the other hand, comprises skills, knowledge, and practices. In short, heritage development is a consequence of heritage and heritage making. The study organized the data using Ninian Smart’s seven dimensions of religion. It employed Clifford Geertz’s definition of religion, Talal Asad’s critique, the African Traditional Religions framework, and participants’ views to examine the M’bona culture as a religion. The Manganja M’bona advocates asserted that they do not consider the term ‘religion’ applicable in their culture. An experimental research approach, the ‘Meta Picture Data Collection Technique,’ which strikes a balance between textual, oral, and visual elements of heritage while prioritizing community involvement, was developed and used in the study. The technique aims to balance practice and theory in visual culture by emphasizing artmaking as a holistic approach, much like reading and writing texts for deeper studies.