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This Nkisi Nkonde, captured at Faro Municipal Museum, is a type of power figure from the Congo Basin in Central Africa, specifically associated with the Kongo people. It is a form of Nkisi, a term referring to sacred objects in Kongo spirituality that are believed to house spirits or spiritual forces. The Nkonde (meaning "hunter") is a particular type of Nkisi known for its aggressive, protective, and judicial roles.
Key Features of Nkisi Nkonde:
Appearance:
Typically, these figures are humanoid in shape and made of wood.
They are often adorned with metal objects like nails, blades, or other sharp implements driven into their surface.
The inclusion of these materials is symbolic of the figure's activation or its use in fulfilling spiritual or legal purposes.
Function:
Hunter of Justice: Nkisi Nkonde was used to enforce laws, settle disputes, and exact punishment for wrongdoers. It was believed to "hunt down" those who broke oaths or contracts.
Protector: It served as a guardian against evil forces, illness, or malevolent spirits.
Healer: In some cases, Nkisi Nkonde was associated with healing, balancing spiritual forces within the community.
Activation and Ritual Use:
A spiritual specialist known as an nganga would "charge" the Nkisi Nkonde by embedding medicines (bilongo) into cavities in the figure.
The bilongo materials could include herbs, animal parts, minerals, or other substances with symbolic or spiritual significance.
The act of hammering nails or driving blades into the figure was a way to "wake" or "activate" it, often accompanying rituals and invocations.
Cultural Context:
Nkisi Nkonde reflects the Kongo people's intricate belief systems, which intertwine law, spirituality, and community order.
It was both a physical and metaphysical tool, acting as a tangible focal point for spiritual forces and social accountability.
Colonial Misunderstandings:
When European colonists and missionaries encountered Nkisi Nkonde, they often misinterpreted them as "fetishes" or objects of idolatry, failing to grasp their deeper cultural and spiritual significance.
Many Nkisi Nkonde figures were taken to museums, where they remain as artifacts of African spiritual heritage.
In Modern Times:
Nkisi Nkonde is studied as an important symbol of Kongo art and spirituality.
It is often featured in museum collections and exhibits focused on African art and the spiritual practices of Central Africa.
I pellegrini arrivano alla chiesa Ortodossa di San Gabriel, Lalibela Etiopia . Sito Unesco
Faithful to the Orthodox church of San Gabriel, Lalibela Ethiopia. Unesco world heritage
The only way to reach the ruins at Songo Mnara from the landing point is through the mangroves. It's tidal so you need to go withy a guide who understands these things.
A couple of boys enjoying the sunset over mainland Dakar in Senegal. Gorée is a tiny, car-free island off the coast of Dakar, in Senegal. It’s known for its role in the 15th- to 19th-century Atlantic slave trade. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. A beautiful island with a horrific history.
If you would like to use any of my photos please contact me and ask permission first.
If you want to look at more of my photography you can check my website and social media links below:
www.facebook.com/geraintrowlandphotography
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A love the way they carry the babies like this out in Africa. Gorée is a tiny, car-free island off the coast of Dakar, in Senegal. It’s known for its role in the 15th- to 19th-century Atlantic slave trade. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. A beautiful island with a horrific history.
If you would like to use any of my photos please contact me and ask permission first.
If you want to look at more of my photography you can check my website and social media links below:
www.facebook.com/geraintrowlandphotography
www.instagram.com/geraint_rowland_photography/
The island of Gorée lies off the coast of Senegal, opposite Dakar. From the 15th to the 19th century, it was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast.
A blog I have written on Gorée Island
If you would like to use any of my photos please contact me and ask permission first.
If you want to look at more of my photography you can check my website and social media links below:
www.facebook.com/geraintrowlandphotography
www.instagram.com/geraint_rowland_photography/
Once a thriving diamond mining town, Kolmanskop in Namibia now stands abandoned, slowly being reclaimed by the shifting desert sands. Sunlight filters through broken windows, casting eerie shadows over rooms where life once flourished but now only whispers of the past remain.
Up early to grab a few shots of the sun rising across the bay from the beach just outside my room at. The sunrise didn't really happen but I got some nice colours.
The fishermen chant and sing as they paddle their way out at dawn, so much nicer than an alarm call.
The beach front at Kimbilio Lodge, Kilwa Masoko on the Southern Tanzanian coast. The start of my southern Tanzania adventure February 2023. Half way between Dar Es Salem and the Mozambique border.
I spent a few days here in order to explore the ruins of the historic sites of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Manara.
Olympus EM-1ii, 12-100mm F4 @ F4, 1/30 ISO 1600
The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site, 10 km west of Ndola, the largest city in the Zambian Copperbelt, the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the then Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial was constructed, after Zambia gained its independence in 1964, and in 1970 it was declared a Zambian national monument as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle.
I can find no further information about the memorial’s architect or construction online, and didn’t think to ask when I was there. There are commemorative plaques from many countries on the site.
A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld and the role of the United Nations.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site, 10 km west of Ndola, the largest city in the Zambian Copperbelt, the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the then Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial was constructed, after Zambia gained its independence in 1964, and in 1970 it was declared a Zambian national monument as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle.
I can find no further information about the memorial’s architect or construction online, and didn’t think to ask when I was there. There are commemorative plaques from many countries on the site.
A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld and the role of the United Nations.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site, 10 km west of Ndola, the largest city in the Zambian Copperbelt, the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the then Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial was constructed, after Zambia gained its independence in 1964, and in 1970 it was declared a Zambian national monument as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle.
I can find no further information about the memorial’s architect or construction online, and didn’t think to ask when I was there. There are commemorative plaques from many countries on the site.
A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld and the role of the United Nations.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site, 10 km west of Ndola, the largest city in the Zambian Copperbelt, the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the then Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial was constructed, after Zambia gained its independence in 1964, and in 1970 it was declared a Zambian national monument as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle.
I can find no further information about the memorial’s architect or construction online, and didn’t think to ask when I was there. There are commemorative plaques from many countries on the site.
A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld and the role of the United Nations.
British and Irish plaques at the Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Crash Site. The Irish text says roughly "It from faith in peace that he died, and for that faith he made the greatest sacrifice." It commemorates Francis Ivers of County Roscommon, who was one of Hammarskjöld's bodyguards who died in the crash.
This is 10 km west of Ndola, the largest city in the Zambian Copperbelt, the place of the plane crash in which Dag Hammarskjöld, the second and then-sitting Secretary-General of the United Nations was killed on 17 September 1961, while on a mission to the then Léopoldville Congo Republic (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
A road was built to the crash site, and a memorial was constructed, after Zambia gained its independence in 1964, and in 1970 it was declared a Zambian national monument as a historical landmark. In 1964 the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation Committee was formed to ensure that the memory of this world statesman lives forever in the country where he met his tragedy. At the Crash site a memorial garden was established with a cairn at the centre and a lawn around it with a belt of shrubs and trees on the outer circle.
I can find no further information about the memorial’s architect or construction online, and didn’t think to ask when I was there. There are commemorative plaques from many countries on the site.
A museum was constructed and official opened at the site in 1981. The museum exhibits some remains of the tragic accident. The museum is also used for collecting materials and books on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld and the role of the United Nations.
'Ancient Egyptian color palette': proofing swatch printed on basic combed cotton by Spoonflower. Line art. © Su Schaefer 2014
This color palette plaid is composed of modern equivalents of colors from Ancient Egypt.
'Ancient Egyptian color palette' fabric
[AncientEgyptianColorPalette_swatch_bcc]
This captivating image showcases a Swazi warrior performing a traditional dance and song in eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland. The dance is a vibrant display of the kingdom's rich cultural heritage, with the warrior's attire reflecting the deep traditions of the Swazi people. The rhythmic movements and powerful chants honor the ancestral customs that have been passed down through generations. Capturing this moment in eSwatini offers a glimpse into the heart of Swazi culture and its enduring legacy.
Dada pottery, ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria, Is one of the major attraction site in the state. A traditional practice that has preserved its traditions for more than 100 years. It’s a pottery making community, consisting of women only showcasing women strength and resilience.
Illustrated Title page - The Life and Explorations of Dr Livingstone, the Great Missionary Traveller.
On the way to the ruins at Songo Mnara from the landing point. This was formally a coconut plantation and still produces to this day.
Songo Mnara, Kilwa, Tanzania
French people espousing “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” for themselves perpetrated number atrocities on North Africa people just as Islam accepts bonded labour in Pakistan today.
Read Story- www.commonprophets.com/unequal-west-versus-unequal-islam/
Watch Video- youtu.be/ZJP7JU77dr0
A glimpse inside the Horace Mann High School which is located in Gary, Indiana on November 22nd, 2013. This section of the school was where history classes were held for the students. The flag that is peeling away on the outside of the doorway is called the Pan African Flag. The Pan African Flag was created by the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA) in 1920. The red section of the flag symbolizes the blood that unites all people of Black African Ancestry. The black portion personifies the idea that black people whose existence as a nation, but not as a nation state, is affirmed through the existence of the flag while the green section symbolizes the abundant natural wealth of Africa and the native people.
Horace Mann among other things was best known as an educational reformist. He believed education had the power to "equalize the condition of men" by bringing together all children from different classes and backgrounds to help create a common learning experience for the community. In turn this would provide opportunities to the less fortunate to advance in the social hierarchy.
©2013NateOrtiz
"If ever there was a cause, if ever there can be a cause, worthy to be upheld by all of toil or sacrifice that the human heart can endure, it is the cause of Education."
-Thoughts Selected from the Writings of Horace Mann (1872)
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
17 mm TS Lens
580 EX II used along with a 600ex-rt to light the shot.
To see more images please visit www.nateortizphotography.com
friezes on the mutual buidling, cape town
photographer's notes and text borrowings-
"mutual building", cape town. art deco, deluxe. finished in 1939. architect, fred glennis
inspiration maybe from the "met tower", NYC"?, chicago board of trade", "chrysler building, NYC"?
elements of aert deco and
neo-classical
stone mason, ivan mitford-barberton (south african)
most of the building was changed into residential units
beautiful friezes by miftord-barberton
some nine (only?) african tribes depicted in stunning granite carvings on one facade of the building. it's unclear why only nine tribes were depicted
the tribes being-
matabele
basuto
barotse
kikuyu
zulu
bushman
xosa (xhosa)
pedi
masai
the building has three street facades, darling, parliament and long market streets, cape town CBD
much more to be explored and to be pixed. the building itself is exquisite
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Nongqawuse
Nongqawuse (right) with fellow prophetess, Nonkos Born c. 1840s
Died 1898
Occupation Prophetess
Known for cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857
Contents
1 Spiritual experience
2 Obeying the prophecy 3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 References
Nongqawuse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
͡
Nongqawuse (Xhosa pronunciation: [noŋ̈ǃawuːse]; c. 1840s –
1898) was the Xhosa prophetess whose prophecies led to a millennialist movement that culminated in the Xhosa cattle-killing crisis of 1856–1857, in what is now the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa.
Spiritual experience
In April or May 1856, the teenaged Nongqawuse and her friend Nombanda went to fetch water from a pool near the mouth of the Gxarha River. When she returned, Nongqawuse told her uncle and guardian Mhlakaza, a Xhosa spiritualist, that she had met the spirits of three of her ancestors.
She claimed that the spirits had told her that the Xhosa people should destroy their crops and kill their cattle,
the source of their wealth as well as food. In return the spirits would sweep the British settlers into the sea.[1] The Xhosa would be able to replenish the granaries, and fill the kraals with more beautiful and healthier cattle. During this time many Xhosa herds were plagued with "lung sickness", possibly introduced by European cattle. By 1856, many cattle had died, and the Xhosa believed that the deaths were caused by umuthi - witchcraft.
Obeying the prophecy
Mhlakaza repeated the prophecy to Paramount Chief Sarhili. Sarhili ordered his followers to obey the prophecy, causing the cattle-killing movement to spread to an unstoppable point. The cattle-killing frenzy affected not only the Gcaleka, Sarhili's clan, but the whole of the Xhosa nation. Historians estimate that the Gcaleka killed between 300,000 and 400,000 head of cattle.
Aftermath
Nongqawuse predicted that the ancestors' promise would be fulfilled on February 18, 1857, when the sun would turn red. On that day the sun rose the same colour as every other day, and the prophecy was not realised. Initially, Nongqawuse's followers blamed those who had not obeyed her instructions, but they later turned against her.
In the aftermath of the crisis, the population of British Kaffraria dropped from 105,000 to fewer than 27,000 due to the resulting famine. Nongqawuse was arrested by the British authorities and imprisoned on Robben Island. After her release, she lived on a farm in the Alexandria district of the eastern Cape. She died in 1898.
Today, the valley where Nongqawuse met the spirits is still called Intlambo kaNongqawuse (Xhosa for Valley of Nongqawuse).
See also
History of South Africa
The Ghost Dance, a millennialist movement that called for a return to a pre-colonial era among Native Americans in the West of the United States, inspired by a prophetic dream
Millennialist movement
Zakes Mda's novel The Heart of Redness
References
1. Examination of Nonqause before the Chief Commissioner of April 9, 1858, British Kaffraria Government Gazette, reprinted in Grahamstown Journal, 1 May 1858.
Nongqawuse — Prophetess of Doom (www.encounter.co.za/article/118.html) on Encounter South Africa
Cattle-Killings (1856-57) (africanhistory.about.com/od/glossaryc/g/def_CattleKill.htm) on About.com
Viehtötung der Xhosa – The Xhosa Cattle Killings on the German Wikipedia
Mostert, N. (1992). Frontiers: The Epic of South Africa's Creation and the Tragedy of the Xhosa People. ISBN 0-7126-5584-0
Peires, J. B. (1989). The Dead Will Arise: Nongqawuse and the Great Xhosa Cattle-Killing Movement of 1856-7. ISBN 0-253-20524-7
Stapleton, Timothy J. (1991). "They No Longer Care for Their Chiefs": Another Look at the Xhosa Cattle-Killing of 1856-1857. The International Journal of African Historical Studies, 24(2), 383-392. Welsh, Frank (2000). A History of South Africa. HarperCollins.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nongqawuse&oldid=704473613"
Categories: 1840s births 1898 deaths History of South Africa Female religious leaders Prophets South African religious leaders Xhosa people 19th-century African people Inmates of Robben Island Women in South Africa 19th-century women
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Mutual Building
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mutual Building (Afrikaans: Mutual Gebou), in Cape Town, South Africa, was built as the headquarters of the South African Mutual Life Assurance Society, now the "Old Mutual" insurance and financial services company. It was opened in 1940, but before the end of the 1950s—less than 20 years later—business operations were already moving to another new office at Mutual Park in Pinelands (north east of the city centre); since then Old Mutual has become an international business and their present head office is in London.
The building is a fine example of art deco architecture and design, and it has many interesting internal features such as the banking hall, assembly room, directors' board room; external features include a dramatic ziggurat structure, prismoid (triangular) windows, and one of the longest carved stone friezes in the world. It has been said that it provides evidence of the colonial attitudes of the time, and the "ideals of colonial government promulgated
by Rhodes in the late nineteenth century".[1]
The Mutual Building is now converted to residential use, although some parts of the building are used commercially. For example, the Banking Hall (which is now an events venue) and the retail shops that operate outside on the ground level.
Coordinates: 33°55ʹ27.45ʺS 18°25ʹ20.25ʺE
Mutual Building
Mutual Gebou
The front of the building, in Darling Street, Cape Town
Location in central Cape Town Alternative Mutual Heights, Old Mutual
names Building
General information
Contents
1 History
1.1 The business
1.2 The "new" (1940) Head Office in Darling Street
1.3 Search for inspiration
1.4 Completion
1.5 Vacating and conversion
2 Structure of the building
3 Design elements
4 Features of the building
4.1 The Entrance Hall 4.2 The Banking Hall
4.3 The lifts (elevators) 4.4 The Assembly Room 4.5 The Directors' Rooms 4.6 The atrium
4.7 The windows
4.8 Granite cladding 4.9 The Tribal Figures 4.10 The frieze
5 Views of (and from) the building 6 References
7 Other external links
Type
Architectural style
Address Town or city Country Coordinates Completed Inaugurated Renovated Owner Height
Structural system
Floor count Lifts/elevators
Commercial converted to residential
Art Deco
14 Darling Street
Cape Town
South Africa
33°55ʹ27.45ʺS 18°25ʹ20.25ʺE 1939
1940
2005
Mutual Heights Body Corporate 84 metres (276 ft)
Technical details
Reinforced concrete, granite cladding
12 plus 3 levels basement parking
7
Architect
Architecture firm
Architect
Renovating firm
Structural engineer
Awards and prizes
Fred Glennie Louw & Louw
Renovating team
Robert Silke Louis Karol
Murray & Roberts
South African Institute of Architects, Presidents Award 2008
Website
Design and construction
www.mutualheights.net (www.mutualheights.net)
History The business
The Old Mutual business has a long history. In 1845 John Fairbairn (a Scot) founded "The Mutual Life Assurance Society of the Cape of Good Hope" in Cape Town. Over the next 100 years the business was to evolve significantly, changing its name in 1885 to the "South Africa Mutual Life Assurance Society", but becoming familiarly known simply as "The Old Mutual", so as to distinguish it from newer businesses of the same kind.
The company employed women as early as 1901, expanded into Namibia in 1920 and into Zimbabwe (then
Rhodesia) in 1927.[2] Old Mutual is now an international business with offices all over the world, and its portfolio
of financial services continues to evolve to meet market needs.
It is now some years since the business "de-mutualised" in order to issue shares and fund its operations using conventional investment markets.
The "new" (1940) Head Office in Darling Street
The name of the building in English and in Afrikaans ("Mutual Gebou"): The interesting frieze shown here is described in the text
Some comparisons with earlier inspirational buildings
In the 1930s it became clear that a new headquarters building was needed and very ambitious targets were set for the building: it was to be the tallest building in South Africa (possibly in the whole continent of Africa, with the exception of the pyramids in Egypt), it was to have the fastest lifts, it was to have the largest windows. At the same time it was to epitomise the values of the business: "Strength, Security and Confidence in the Future"; this demanded a combination of traditional
and contemporary design.[1]
Although it is clearly identified on the exterior as the "Mutual Building" (or "Mutual Gebou" in Afrikaans) it is often familiarly referred to as "The Old Mutual Building". Here, in the body of this article, it will be referred to as the "Mutual Building", thereby acknowledging the
nomenclature on the exterior of the building itself.
Search for inspiration
The figure here (adapted from www.skycrapers.com) compares the building with some of the other contemporaneous tall buildings in the world. Those involved in the design of the building travelled widely to study inspirational examples of corporate buildings elsewhere in the world. They learnt about the latest approaches to lighting, ventilation and fire protection in the USA, South America, England
and Sweden.[3] In the USA, the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles is one example of the genre of building design that captured their attention: this building was completed in 1930 and has also since been
converted to residential occupation.[1]
The art deco style was chosen. However, the building is embellished with features in other styles (such as neo-classicist in the case of the banking hall) intended to reinforce the long- standing and traditional values of the Old Mutual business.
Completion
The building was completed in 1939 and opened
early in 1940 with a great fanfare. The local paper provided a 16 page supplement,[4] and South African architects and dignitaries enthused about it. In his definitive examination of the design of the building, Federico Freschi summarises the status of the building thus:
"Ultimately, the consensus suggests that the Old Mutual Building is at once a worthy monument to modern design principles and the consolidation of an important corporate and public image."[1]
The building is listed elsewhere as a notable building,[5] and it is regarded as an important example of the social values of the time and of the economic state of the nation, but all as seen from a European or
"colonial" perspective, as explained by Freschi.[1]
Vacating and conversion
Within 20 years (in the late 1950s) the Old Mutual began to vacate the building, moving in stages to new offices at Mutual Park in Pinelands, Cape Town. By the 1990s, only assorted tenants remained, the last of
which departed in May 2003.[3]
At this time, conversion to residential occupation began under the direction of Robert Silke at Louis Karol
Architects.[6] The name of the building was changed by the developers to Mutual Heights (www.mutualheights.net), a decision that did not find favour with all owners and residents involved in
the new community.[7] Despite scepticism about the name, it is generally agreed that the conversion was the first in a series of projects that re-invigorated the central business district of Cape Town. The conversion has
been the subject of a number of architecture and design awards.[8]
In February 2012, the large "Old Mutual" sign on the east side of the building was removed, leaving little external evidence of the commercial origins of the building; in 2015 Old Mutual Properties finally disposed of the remaining portions of the interior that had not been sold previously, including the banking hall, the directors suite and the fresco room.
Structure of the building
The building is constructed using reinforced concrete, filled in internally with bricks and plaster, and clad on the outside with granite. At first sight, the building is a striking example of the Art Deco style and many of its features epitomize this genre - however, some interior features deviate from true Art Deco and probably reflect the desire of the company to demonstrate solidity and traditional values at the same time as
contemporaneous, forward-looking values.[1]
It is 276 feet (85 metres) high, as measured from the ground floor to the top of the tower,[3] but the building is often listed as being more than 90 metres high (even as high as 96.8 metres on the Old Mutual web
site[2]); this probably takes account of the "spire" at the top.
Having only 10 levels ("storeys") above ground level in the main part of this tall building (excluding the three levels of basement car parking, and the additional levels in the tower), it is evident that the spacing between floors is generous — generally each floor is about 5 metres above (or below) the next. In one of the meeting rooms on the eighth level (the Assembly Hall - see below), the curtains alone are more than six metres long. This generous spacing between floors was intended to achieve the greatest possible overall height for the building without exceeding the city planning limitation of 10 storeys, and it was allowed only
in view of the "set back" design of the exterior structure.[1]
Design elements
The original design of the building is attributed to Louw & Louw (Cape Town architects), working with Fred Glennie (best known at the time as a mentor to architectural students) – Mr Glennie is personally
credited with most of the detailed work[9] but Ivan Mitford-Barberton[10] was also involved with some
internal details as well as with the external granite decorations.
It is pleasing that the principal areas of the building have been so little changed over the years, especially the entrance, the banking hall, the assembly room, the directors' room, the atrium, and the windows. Even the original door handles (including the Old Mutual "logo") and the original banisters (on the staircases) are all still intact, and the atrium is largely unchanged although it is now protected from the weather by a translucent roof.
The original light fittings in the "public" areas are largely still intact, and in most parts of the building there are beautiful block-wood (parquet) floors.
Here is a selection of interior design details that exemplify the quality and attention to detail that was applied to this project by the architects, artists and designers.
Marble from the columns in the banking hall
As you use the stairs, you are reminded which storey you are on
Bulkhead lights on the 9th level
White-veined Onyx from the entrance hall
Hardwood block floors are still in place in many parts of the building
An original door handle (of which many remain)
The entrance hall has a gold leaf ceiling
Detail of a banister on one of the stairs
Original fire doors, with distinctive handles
Detail of the rail at the gallery of the Assembly Room
Some interior design details
The paragraphs below now visit each of the significant areas and features of the building in turn.
An original light fitting
The light fittings in the Assembly Room
The entrance lobby
Features of the building
The building incorporates a range of significant features.
The Entrance Hall
Black, gold-veined onyx is used in the Darling Street foyer, the ceiling of which is over 15 metres high and finished with gold leaf, laid by Italian workmen. The view of the glass window over the door to the banking hall (above) shows the iconic ziggurat shape of the building etched into the glass. Visitors must climb 17 steps to gain access to the banking hall, and towards the top they are met by the original "pill box" where security staff can observe who (and what) is entering and leaving the building. On either side of the pill box are the entrances to the main lifts – two on the left and two on the right (there are two "staff" lifts and one "service" lift elsewhere in the building).
Characteristic stainless steel trim and light fittings, such as can be seen here, are used extensively throughout the building.
The Banking Hall
Given its tall marble-clad colonnades, the magnificent banking hall would be more properly described as an example of "neo-classicism" although the light fittings echo the art deco theme that prevails elsewhere in the building, and again we see that the glass over the doors (at the far end in the photograph below) are etched with the iconic ziggurat form that is taken by the whole building.
The two service counters that can be seen in the banking hall look identical, but only the one on the right is original—the one on the left is a later, somewhat inferior, copy.
The banking hall
Between the columns of the banking hall the coats of arms are presented for each of the many provinces and countries within Southern Africa in which the South African Mutual Life Assurance Society had a presence.
The crests that appear between the columns in the banking hall
Northern Rhodesia Cape Colony Durban Rhodesia
Natal Petermaritzburg Port Elizabeth Orange Free State
Johannesburg Pretoria Kenya Colony Bloemfontein
Cape Town Union of South Africa Potchefstroom Windhoek The banking hall is now owned privately and is available for hire as an events venue.
The lifts (elevators)
The main lifts in the building are fast ("the fastest in Africa" it was claimed when the building opened) and no expense was spared – even in the basement parking area, the lifts are trimmed with black marble. Each door has an etched representation of an indigenous bird or animal from South Africa, with significant plants as additional decoration, or in some cases the corporate logo of the time.
There are seven lifts in the building, four of them "principal" lifts (as here)
The individual etchings in detail (click on the images to see the full-size version):
Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), with a king protea (Protea cynaroides), the national flower
Kudu (Tragelaphus), with veltheimia (Veltheimia bracteata) at the lower right
Giraffe, with a succulent (Crassula)
Zebra (Equus quagga), with a prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)
The individual etchings on the lift doors
Ostrich (Struthio camelus australus), with prickly pear (lower left) and "century plant" (Agave americana)
Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus), with spekboom (Portulacaria afra) at the lower right and candelabra lily (Brunsvigia josephinae) at the lower left
Crane (Balearica regulorm) with reeds behind (Phragmites australis)
Lion, with lion's tail (or wild dagga - Leonotis leonuris) at lower left, violet painted petals (Freesia laxa) lower right and coral tree (Erythrina lysistemon) at the top
Secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius), with unidentifiable tree
The corporate "logo" (three entwined anchors), with Strelitzia reginae (bottom right), Disa uniflora (bottom left) and proteas (Protea repens) at the top
Vulture
These designs are attributed to Ivan Mitford-Barberton.
The Assembly Room
Perhaps the best known feature of the building (in artistic circles at least) is the Assembly Room, sometimes referred to as the "Fresco Room"; Freschi indicates that this was originally intended as a facility for policy
holders.[1] Here there are striking frescoes depicting some of the history of the nation of South Africa,
undertaken by Le Roux Smith Le Roux two years after the completion of the building.
Le Roux was supported in his early career by the famous British architect Herbert Baker, who provided bursaries so that Le Roux could spend time in
London and elsewhere. In London he
undertook a mural in South Africa House with
Eleanor Esmonde-White. An acquaintance (still living) of Le Roux and Esmonde-White recalls that Baker insisted that Eleanor Esmonde-White be awarded a bursary, despite gender-related objections from elsewhere; in the event she got to go to London with Le Roux, with the bursary. Following their years in London, Le Roux was awarded this commission to work on the Mutual Building and he therefore returned to Cape Town, but only after the main building work was done - it was not sensible to undertake this meticulous work while building operations were still in progress.
These frescoes are considered elsewhere as good examples of the genre—see for example
"Decopix - the Art Deco Architecture Site"[11] where the Mutual Building itself is well
represented.[12] The five frescoes on the end
walls and over the entrance depict more than
100 years of the history of the nation,
including industrial development, the Great
Trek, mining following the discovery of gold,
the growth of industry and agriculture, and a
hint of international travel and trade. Freschi considers that ".. in contemporary terms, Le Roux's work was seen to be distinctly progressive and very much in keeping with the ostensibly liberal party line of Jan
Smuts' coalition government".[1]
The panels are reproduced below, and selected portions from them are provided in the images that follow.
The five panels are presented left to right, in a clockwise direction when standing in the Assembly Room, back to the windows. The first and fifth are on the side walls, the second, third and fourth are on the long wall that includes the main entrance.
The fresco panels in the Assembly Room
The Assembly Room
Engineering water, The Great Trek building industry and
railroads
Trade and international travel
The discovery of gold
Railroads in service, productive farms
The fifth image includes a representation of the Mutual Building itself, the tallest building in what is known as the "City Bowl", below the slopes of Table Mountain. This did not remain true for long, it was only one year later that the General Post Office was built on the other (seaward side) of Darling Street, and a large number of larger more modern buildings have been built since (see the views from and of the building, shown further down this page).
Some details from the panels:
Some selected portions of the fresco panels in the Assembly Room
Mixing concrete, Wind-powered water working with the plans pumps provide
irrigation
The Great Trek - ladies Farm produce at last - a in their bonnets, men on smile on his face
horses
The Directors' Board Room
A detail - laying railway The image of the track Mutual Building under
Table Mountain
The Directors' Rooms
On the fourth level, at the front of the building, is the Directors' Board Room. As well as the board room there are two side rooms, one of which was a sitting room for Directors.
In the board room there is a continuous carved stinkwood frieze above the dado rail that incorporates animal and floral motifs (14 different species of birds and animals are represented). Ivan Mitford-Barberton is credited with this carving and it is probably the last work that he did in the building. Above the carved frieze is a mural designed and executed by Joyce Ord-Brown using stain on pale sycamore panelling. It represents
Cape Town as the "Tavern of the Seas" in a light hearted way.[1]
The selections below show some portions of the mural and the frieze, followed by some other details of the directors' rooms. The sea plane (second picture) is probably a Martin M-130, which is not recorded as having serviced South Africa (it worked the pacific routes). This is probably "artistic licence" on the part of Ord-Browne.
Portions of the Joyce Ord-Browne decorations
The Southern hemisphere, with route from Cape Town to London
Blue cranes flying
A sea plane
A portion of the Northern hemisphere, with King Neptune
Penguins and whales
A mermaid
Portions of the Mitford-Barberton stinkwood frieze
Some features of the directors' board room and sitting room
Entrance to the board room (see note below)
Easy chairs in the sitting room - unused in a long time
Marble at the door to the board room
Another original light fitting in the sitting room
Directors had their own storage drawers in the board room
An original light fitting in the board room that (seemingly) doubles as a ventilation device
It is of note that the etched ziggurat icon on the glass over the entrance to the board room (see the enlarged version of the first image above) is not the same as that which is used elsewhere.
The Directors' suite has great heritage value but in 2015 it was re-finished as a private apartment.
The atrium
The atrium extends from the roof of the banking hall to the very top of the main building. It was originally open to the weather, but it is now protected by a translucent roof, through which the tower can be seen extending even higher.
The circular windows visible here are incorporated into the apartments that now occupy the front of the building.
The windows
On entering the residential area of the building, one is struck by this extraordinary "top to bottom" atrium
The windows compared
The rising nature of the ziggurat mass of the exterior of the building is reinforced by the prismoid (triangular) windows, which extend up and down the height of the building. These windows are of note because they set the Mutual Building apart from some of the buildings that inspired it, for example the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles. They are also functional, because they allow light to enter the building more effectively than would otherwise be the case (using the reflective properties of the inside face of the glass), and by opening and closing blinds on the one side or the other it is possible on sunny days to manage the heat entering the building as the sun traverses the sky.
Water-cooled air conditioning was another innovative feature of the original building, that avoided the need for extensive natural ventilation and allowed more freedom for the design of the windows and granite spaces between; the same water-cooled air conditioning design is in use today.
As Freschi notes in his paper, the prismoid windows make for much more visual interest than the conventional windows in the General Post Office building. Here the image juxtaposes the Mutual building (foreground) with the General Post Office built the following year (behind).
Granite cladding
The granite cladding of the building was hewn from a single boulder on the Paarl Mountain, north east of the
city of Cape Town.[1] The cladding incorporates decorative baboon, elephant and tribal heads that project from the upper facades of the Darling Street elevation (the front of the building).
The granite decorations
The decorations Elephant (6th level) Baboon (8th level) Tribal head (tower)
Tower with tribal head
The Tribal Figures
On the Parliament Street facade there are carved granite figures representing nine ethnic African groups (not just South African) labelled thus: "Xosa", "Pedi", "Maasai", "Matabele", "Basuto", "Barotse", "Kikuyu", "Zulu", and "Bushman". Note that the identification of the tribes does not necessarily follow current practice.
The nine tribal figures looking over Parliament Street.
The individual figures in detail (remember you can click on the images to see the full-size version):
The individual tribal figures
"Xosa" "Pedi" "Masai" "Matabele"
"Basuto" "Barotse" "Kikuyu" "Zulu"
"Bushman"
Recently Sanford S. Shaman has written a critique of these figures, and other features of the building [13] partly based on interviews with pedestrians walking around the building.
The frieze
Around the three sides of the building facing Darling Street, Parliament Street and Longmarket Street there is a 386 feet (118 metre) frieze depicting scenes from the colonial history of South Africa, reported at its
completion to be the longest such frieze in the world.[4]
A portion of the 386 feet frieze that traverses three sides of the building, showing the 1820 settlers landing
It is of interest that, at the time, it was proclaimed that the building was built by South Africans, using South African materials; while the frieze was itself designed by South African, Ivan Mitford Barberton (born in Somerset East, Eastern Cape, in 1896), the work was executed by a team of Italian immigrants led by Adolfo Lorenzi. It has recently come to light that, in the course of the work, Lorenzi's team of masons were incarcerated when the Second World War broke out in 1939, being Italian and therefore regarded as "the
enemy" at that time. They were obliged to finish their work under an armed guard.[14]
A composite view of the frieze can be seen at the right; unfortunately in this version some portions are missing or obscured by trees in leaf.
The sections of the frieze are as follows:
The landing of Jan van Riebeeck
The arrival of the 1820 Settlers
The "Post Office Stone"
The building of the Castle of Good Hope
The emancipation of the slaves
Negotiations with Chaka (also known as "King Shaka)" The Great Trek
The dream of Nongqawuse (other spellings are sometimes used) Discovery of diamonds at Kimberley
Erection of a cross by Bartholomew Dias
Rhodes negotiating with the Matabele
David Livingstone preaching, healing and freeing slaves The opening up of Tanganyika Territory
The defence of Fort Jesus depicting Arab inhabitants
A second version of this collage of the complete frieze can be found elsewhere[15]
A composite showing almost all of the frieze in its 15 sections – some portions are missing in this version – click to see a readable version and then choose the "Full resolution" option under the image (but be patient, this is a large file – 1Mb)
Seen from Darling Street, the Mutual Building today stands proud as the day it was built.
Views of (and from) the building
The busy city works around the building. The Mutual Building can claim that its restoration and conversion to residential use brought new life to the city centre, and started a five year programme of re- invigoration and rapid improvement. The large green "Old Mutual" sign and logo were removed from the building in February 2012.
The skyline of the city of Cape Town has changed significantly since the Mutual Building was constructed. Even from its highest point of easy access, the Mutual Building View is now dwarfed by the more modern buildings in the Cape Town central business district.
In the modern skyline the Mutual Building is lost in a maze of tall buildings. Here the sea mist swirls around the central business district and the small coloured arrow picks out the Mutual Building, at the left. This photograph is taken from District Six, on the slopes of Devil's peak to the east of Table Mountain. Click to see the full size version of this photograph, when the outline of the building can be more easily discerned.
The view of the harbour from the middle levels of the Mutual Building in Darling Street in Cape Town, once uninterrupted, is now obscured by the General Post Office constructed shortly afterwards (seen here at the extreme left).
Table Mountain and its "table cloth" seen from the upper levels of the building.
Looking in the other direction, the City Hall, the Grand Parade and the Castle can all be seen clearly. In the distance are the Hottentots Holland Mountains.
References
The learned article by Federico Freschi is particularly recommended to all who are interested in this building and its context.
1. Freschi, F (1994). "Big Business Beautility: The Old Mutual Building, Cape Town, South Africa". Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, Vol 20, pp.39-57
2. "Old Mutual - Our heritage". Old Mutual Web Site. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
3. CSD, (2003). "Mutual Heights Heritage Impact Assessment Report", CS Design Architects and Heritage
Consultants, Cape Town, South Africa (August)
4. Cape Times (1940). "Old Mutual in New Home", The Cape Times (special supplement) (30 January)
5. "Mutual Heights". Emporis - The world's building website. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
6. "Cocktails over the Grand Parade". Cape Times online. 25 July 2003. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
7. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Body Corporate, Mutual Heights, 2008
8. "Louis Karol awards". Louis Karol web site. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
9. "SA Mutual Life Assr Soc (Old Mutual)". Artefacts web site. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
10. "Ivan Mitford-Barberton". Biographical web site by Margaret C Manning. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
11. "Decopix - the Art Deco Architecture Web site". Randy Juster's Art Deco web site. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
12. "The Mutual Building featured on Randy Juster's art deco web site". Randy Juster's Art Deco web site. Retrieved
27 December 2010.
13. "Art South Africa web site". "The Heights of Contradiction" by Sanford S. Shaman. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
14. Correspondence by email, Giovanni Adolfo Camerada to Andy Bytheway, 2008
15. "The Mutual Building Frieze". Web site of the Mutual Heights community.
Other external links
Website for the Mutual Heights Community (www.mutualheights.net)
Louis Karol Architects website (www.louiskarol.com/index.html)
Randy Juster's art deco web site (www.decopix.com)
David Thompson's art deco buildings web site (artdecobuildings.blogspot.com/) City of Cape Town web site (www.capetown.gov.za)
Stewart Harris' flikr photographs include some images of Fred Glennie and Le Roux Smith Le Roux at work on the building, and other interesting images of the building (www.flickr.com/groups/1615104@N21/)
Confirmation of the Bloemfontein crest that defied identification for several years (www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Bloemfontein)
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On April 18 1980 Zimbabwe Rhodesia gained independence as Zimbabwe. The government held independence celebrations in Rufaro stadium in Salisbury, the capital. Lord Christopher Soames, the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, watched as Charles, Prince of Wales, gave a farewell salute and the Rhodesian Signal Corps played "God Save the Queen". Many foreign dignitaries also attended, including Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, President Shehu Shagari of Nigeria, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, President Seretse Khama of Botswana, and Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser of Australia, representing the Commonwealth of Nations. Bob Marley sang 'Zimbabwe', a song he wrote, at the government's invitation in a concert at the country's independence festivities. In 1982 for the 2nd anniversary of independence the name of the capital was changed from Salisbury to Harare.
This image presented here is of the Zimbabwe Prime Minister in 1980, Robert Mugabe, admiring a Maori carving the New Zealand government gifted to the newly formed nation. The gift was presented by Hon. David Thomson. The image comes from a collection of photographs transferred to Archives New Zealand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Reference: AAEG W2972 1 37 collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/?q=R9591980
This item as well as other photographs In the collection can be seen in our Wellington Reading Room.
For more information use our “ask an archivist” link on our website: www.archives.govt.nz
Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Pendant ivory mask of Queen Idia (Iyoba ne Esigie (meaning: Queenmother of Oba Esigie)), court of Benin, 16th century. The British Museum London.
I remember I had always seen this in books & in pictures only. The first time I saw her was in January & I wasn't expecting it... I was just strolling along in the gallery & it caught my eye... I didn't want to look but in my head I was like "OH MY GOD!!!!!!!" then I moved to it... & It's honestly one of the most beautiful pieces of Art i've ever seen. I don't think people quite understand it's importance in terms of meaning & craftsmanship. I always spent atleast 20mins looking at it when I go
Pseudictator kingsleyae Juhel, 2015 Holotype
Image: Pierre Juhel. Specimen: Natural History Museum.
New genus, new species, known from only a single example collected 120 years ago. An amazing specimen, named after an amazing woman
africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa011002a.htm
Mary Kingsley presented 12 specimens from 'Gold Coast' to the Museum in 1896. One was the only known specimen of this genus and species, named more than 100 years later in her honour. People have been poking it around for decades and it has multiple labels on it suggesting what it might be, but it was only this year that we showed it to French expert Pierre Juhel, along with the story of its interesting provenance.
To have got something this unique in just 12 specimens, suggests she was in a very remote place, was very lucky, or had a remarkably good eye!