Zabalaza
verb [zahba•la•za]
1. an act of rebellion
2.to rise in solidarity
3. to overcome through justice
The word zabalaza is isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele.

When Inyanga mourns the death of a sadistic relationship with themself. Although their tears purge the depths of their darkness – in these waters,  discovers the inner, and within the inner, finds solace.
It is letting go of the hostility and denial towards mental illness, embracing freedom, independence and
our own belonging, whilst balancing the beauty in the exploration of the multitudes of our being, the hardships of life’s endeavours and experiences – in a country painfully poisoned with racism,
poverty, violent crime, femicide, rape, sexual; physical; psychological and alcohol abuse, aggravated by
corruption and upheld oppressive systems of white supremacy that fuels the burning of the black soul yakwa [from] ‘Mzansi’. 

umZabalazo is the debut collection of a multifaceted reflection on womanhood and expression of ‘femininity’ in Mzansi,  lead by ubuNtu, the cultural motifs & textiles zamaXhosa, with an amalgamation of the everchanging
subcultures that lead them to their truth.