2017-2018: The Spirit of Water
Dr Minguzzi , in co-authorship with the Khoi San Chiefs of Nelson Mandela Bay and international collaborations, staff and students of the Mandela University.
“The Spirit of Water” (2017) international project-ceremony organized in front of the ancient fish traps in Cape Recife Nature Reserve (Gqebertha) was a key project that straightened the partnership with the First Indigenous leaders and initiate the ground-breaking research on the unresearched and undocumented ancient fish traps sites located in the Eastern Cape province. Research that continued in 2019-2021 under the National Research Foundation of South Africa-CEP programme (Grant Number: 116254). This pilot project on coastal indigenous sites was part of an international art performance entitled “The way of water” that took place in different coastal cities, globally, to move awareness about the urgency to protect our oceans as a resource of life. In Gqeberha the group of work -Indigenous Peoples, NMU staff and students- decided to focus on the indigenous approach to the resources, including the ocean, as the best practice of a regenerative lifestyle. Thanks to a successful community engagement activities the group organized 2 days of indigenous ceremonies (referred to as !NAU) open to the public in front of the fish traps, which are the most ancient man-made structures (middle stone age) present in the area, constructed by the pre-colonial hunter-gatherer communities living on the coast of Southern Africa at the time and are highly significant in terms of heritage (Minguzzi M, 2021; P. Pattrick, M. Minguzzi, N. Weidberg 2022).
It is important to highlight that the project promoted not only cultural re appropriation but also restoration of rituals and it brought together the leaders of the 4 Indigenous Houses present on the Bay that for the first time could celebrate freely their cultural identity in front of their heritage site.
Funds: Engagement Advancement Funds - Teaching Innovation Advancement Funding.
Awards: Institutional Engagement Excellence Award 2018; Institutional Creative Output Award 2018; NIHSS Humanities and Social Sciences Awards 2019 (2nd place)
Research Outputs:
Short documentary
2017. “The Spirit of water” by Magda Minguzzi, Nelson Mandela University production, https://vimeo.com/534102794
Conferences
2017. Nelson Mandela University, Nelson Mandela Bay, Pre-colonial Catalytic Conference15 -17 March 2017, CANRAD NMMU-CAS UCT-National Institute for the Humanities and Social Science. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Dr Magda Minguzzi: “The Identity of Places: a Reflection on the KhoiKhoi Culture”.
2017. University Iuav in Venice. Invitation to be part of the two days of convention “Iuav abroad: heritage”. Dr Magda Minguzzi: “The signs of the history as origin for the design: the sacred sites of the KhoiSan People of South Africa” and projection of my short film “The Spirit of water”. (6/7 Nov)
2018. Nelson Mandela University, 14 September, Senate Hall, presentation of my project “The Spirit of water” during the conference of Prof. Ariel Salleh (University of Sydney) “Rethinking climate and water politics together”.
2018. Nelson Mandela University, SAHUDA-NIHSS Conference, 18-19 October, Second Ave. Campus, South Africa Leading the Arts and Humanities in a Connected World. Presentation of my project “The Spirit of water” and the research on pre colonial sites.
Video interviews (about my work)
2017. University of Southampton (UK), digital learning program MOOC, by Dr. Sarah Filding, Digital Learning, iSolutions, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwdanHhJI20&feature=youtu.be
http://moocs.southampton.ac.uk/oceans/2017/07/05/exploring-oceans-goes-south-africa/
2018. 06. Video interview by Basharat Khan, in occasion of Happenstance, Scottland+Venice, Biennale of Venice, Italy. https://vimeo.com/album/5227082
Exhibitions and projection of the short documentary
23rd September till 15th October 2017
New York: Hot Wood Arts, 481 Van Brunt St. Brooklyn, NY. www.hotwoodarts.com
27th September till 30th November 2017
South Africa: Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Art Museum, 1 Park Drive, http://www.artmuseum.co.za in celebration of the Heritage month
27th of September until 1st of October
Zagreb, Hdlu, www.hdlu.hr
9th of November 2017
Mexico: San Luis Potosi, gallery vega m57,
23rd November 2017
Mexico City: Universidad Nacional Autonoma, Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad
7th November 2017
Italy: Venice, Fabbrica del vedere, http://www.fabbricadelvedere.it
22 February/22 June 2018.
South Africa: Graaff Reinet old library Museum
20 June
Benin: Le Centre,Arts and Culture, http://www.lecentredubenin.org
21 of June
Italy: International Biennale of Venice, Architecture, Scottish pavilion, Venice.
Awards
2018. Nelson Mandela University, received the 18. Engagement Excellence Award as team leader for the project “The Spirit of water”.
2018. Nelson Mandela University, received the 18. Performing and creative Arts Award for the project “The Spirit of water”.