Lundazi Mural

So I'm gonna take a break from talking about traveling and adventuring to talk about some of the work I've been doing. The funny thing about being here as a volunteer is that you have a primary objective, mine being fish farming education, but you really can gear your service towards any direction of work that most suits you. In my case, I've been asked to do so many different art projects including t-shirt designs, cooperative logos, an HIV Podcast logo, girls camp gear, and even some large wall murals. I've loved being able to use some of my creativity to help other volunteers and their counterparts and communities.

My favorite project so far has been getting to do a large mural for a maternal clinic in rural Lundazi in Eastern Province. A couple of health volunteers saw my artwork and were finishing a large building project at the time. They thought it would be great for me to create a couple of murals for the new clinic. They invited me to come up to their site for a few days to start painting. It was great getting to travel to another volunteer site and see the difference in transport and the environment. Their site is much more rural than mine and pretty far out in the bush. Both Ryan and Emily were such sweethearts and helped organize all of my taxis and transport and really made me feel at home in their community.

I've never had the opportunity to do such a large scale project before. I'm so grateful that they were willing to trust my ability in painting such an ambitious wall. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to paint, but kind of finished the final design on-site looking at the wall and what I had to work with. All of the locals were so interested to see what I was doing. There are not a lot of creative outlets for people in this area. Materials are expensive and time is better spent in the fields or working on income-generating activities. Regardless, people love seeing art and it really does do wonders in creating more pride in a place.

As I was painting so many people came to investigate. The children were shy and afraid but fascinated. Many of the adults wanted pictures of me painting and or with them. Normally I am decent at being able to communicate in the local language, but my friends were just far enough away that they were located in Tumbuka land...not a language I understand. Art is universal though and broke some language barriers. It was so fulfilling to see, the women especially, walk by and smile or stop and stare in pleasure since this would be a place that they would go while pregnant and or with their newborns and children.

I know some might think that making art in communities might not be a worthwhile avenue for my time here when I could be doing something that brings food to their plates instead. I would argue that without art there is no pride and joy in the mundane everyday chores and tasks. Creating something beautiful on a building gives it a place of status and esteem. Something people can look at and be happy to go visit. Creating a sense of pride in the community and place. I think that is worthwhile.