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Artworks
Paul Weinberg South African, b. 1956
Prophetess Nontetha Nkwenkwe, an inyanga (herbalist) who survived the devastating flu epidemic of 1918, turned the event into a personal mission. As a seer, a diviner, a Christian and ultimately a prophet, she was interned at a mental institution at Fort , 2019-21colour digital archival print on Hahnemühle Photo rag 308 gsm papersheet size: 59.4 x 84.1 cmedition 10+2APsigned and numbered in pencil in the marginProphetess Nontetha Nkwenkwe was an inyanga (herbalist) who survived the devastating flu epidemic of 1918. She interpreted her survival as proof of her spiritual calling. Regarded as a seer, a...
Prophetess Nontetha Nkwenkwe was an inyanga (herbalist) who survived the devastating flu
epidemic of 1918. She interpreted her survival as proof of her spiritual calling. Regarded as a
seer, a diviner and ultimately a prophet, she began having visions and “read” messages from
God by looking at her hands. The authorities were concerned about her growing following
among “Red” Xhosa (traditionalist Xhosa) and interned her at a mental institution at Fort
Beaufort in 1922. Her followers gathered there and then followed her on a pilgrimage of
grace when she was later transferred to Weskoppies, another mental institution, in Pretoria.
Today, there are more than 30 000 followers of her church.
