The caged bird series

1. The angle I have chosen to tackle my report from is through using two mediums in order to express one idea, these mediums being poetry and jewellery.  The Jewellery piece in figure 1 was one of the developments of this series, where I was still discovering how to express the idea of being caged verses negative space.

Figure 1: Ndongeni, S (2019). Caged bird bugle and tube beaded neckpiece

Since this was one of the initial concepts that I had worked with, I have listed the three major topics I have chosen to discuss this particular series under.
1.The Poem
a. Written
b. Spoken word

2.The Explorations
The list below are the initial ideas fro my cage bird deisgn, I have palced them in their order of development
a. Cage bird concept 1
b.Cage bird concept 2
c. Cage bird concept 3
d.Cage bird concept 4

3. The Jewellery

Biblical marriage concepts explained

Christianity, as with most religions or cultures, has its own set of brlief systems and traditions which act as a guide for those who practice such faith.

Keeping the context of this research report in mind, there are two main areas within the Christian faith which may at times pose as a huddle when misinterpreted. As the Bible is considered to be the only authoritative book within Christianity, this report has included a scripture reference for each of the areas, so as to prove a condensed summation of the Biblical standard for these two areas.

• Submission

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.”  Ephesians 5:22 KJV^[1]

• Biblical Headship

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:..” Ephesians 5: 25-29 KJV

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[1] KJV stands for: The King James Version.

Reflective report

I was going through a reflective report from last year and I came across these thoughts, or this thought process I had put myself through trying to understand what was in my head. 

Child marriage

Child marriage was and still is another marriage form within the Xhosa culture which brings about much concern. In the past and in many rural places with South Africa and the world, the girls who enter such marriages may be even as young as eight years old or even nine years old (Silva-de-Alwis, 2008). This in terms is an issue as there many disadvantages which are associated with child marriages such as miscarriages.

This marriage type caught my attention as throughout history and the modern day, large numbers of young girls are forced into entering such marriages. Regardless of child laws and children’s rights which are I place, however millions of girls still fall through the cracks and in many cases it is their own parents who push them through the cracks. (Anon., 2018) (South African Abductions: young girls forced into marriage, n.d.)

 To further tie this issue to the report is the fact that in some cases these young girls entered these marriages as a result of abduction.  Hence when the report addresses child marriages, it is referring to any marriage which has occurred involving persons or a person under the age of 18.

Figure 1 Human rights brief. #ChildNotBride protest. [ONLINE]^[1]

The Evolution of a Queen

In an earlier post I had written, I had posted about an item of jewellery worn by a Game of Thrones character (see link https://jewellersbride.blogspot.com/2019/06/daenerys-targaryen.html?m=1)
I came across this video which gives a brief flash of how this character once exchanged by her brother for personal gain, decided she would not be defeated by the life circumstances of her marriage, but instead rose to be a loved Queen.

I guess this is an example of when a person refuses to allow life to defeat them. 

Caged Bird

The concept of the 'Caged bird' narrative, is a concept of a cage being like an actual prison, as it is restrictive in nature, restricting the physical, mental, social etc. These are the general feelings associated with a cage or a prison, as seen in the picture below.

Man in prison

 There video below is meant to display birds in flight, the reason why I chose it is that I want show the contrast between the depressing picture of prison and that of a bird flying. Usually birds symbolize flight, freedom, movement, exploring and by nature able to reach new heights.

The broken wings, would then represent the prison, since a bird with a broken wing would be restricted from knowing the freedom it ks accustomed to.


Man in prison URL:https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-typical-day-in-jail.htm
Birds in flight URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1wp1RnC7kk

Painted thoughts 4

The fourth painting was another commentary of sorts, based of feminine issues. In the artwork, I had the words "By her stripes we are healed" included. In retrospect, I feel that it was blasphemous in a way, since the Bible in the boom of Isaiah 53:5 says: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." 

However, the reason why I chose to have it phrased in that manner was that I felt a wounds pain, past and hurt is what enables her to have the heart that she has. She is able to be tender and compassionate to those who struggle and suffer, due to what she has endured.

I had chosen to cover her face so as to express the idea that the woman is not one specific woman, but all women.