HeadStrong: The Women of Rural Uganda
Dan Nelken | New York NY, Uganda
Photographer: Dan Nelken
Exhibit Title: HeadStrong: The Women of Rural Uganda
Location: New York NY, Uganda
As Stella Nyanzi, a Ugandan human rights advocate, poet, medical anthropologist, feminist, queer rights advocate, a scholar of sexuality and family planning, has written in her Forward to HeadStrong, “Given the vast indignity, dehumanization, poverty, and plight of the majority of rural women in sub-Saharan Africa, the combination of photographs and narratives brought together under “Headstrong” restore humanity, healing, and hope using vivid representations of Ugandan women.,. Set against the backdrop of a political history of protracted civil war, the “Headstrong” photographs and narratives of strong rural women restore hope, healing, and humanity. They symbolize restoration, resurrection, resilience against all odds!"
Adele Brown: Videographer
Beatrice Lamwaka: Writer
Stella Nyanzi: Forward contributor
HeadStrong: The Women of Rural Uganda presents a groundbreaking collection of photographs and personal stories from a diverse group of working women in rural Uganda who share their experiences of war, kidnapping, resilience, family obligations, and faith. This combination of photographs and biographies vividly captures these women’s personal experiences, showcasing how tradition influences the behavior of both single and married women. In this traditional society, a woman's submission to men, regardless of her education, is deeply valued, and this continues to shape contemporary values that create barriers limiting their access to education and financial security for themselves and their children. These challenges are not unique to Uganda; they are prevalent throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Recognizing that every woman has a compelling story to share and being aware of my outsider status, I collaborated with Ugandan author Beatrice Lamwaka, the Vice President of PEN Uganda, who interviewed each woman and wrote their stories to accompany the portraits. A foreword was contributed by Dr. Stella Nyanzi, an exiled Ugandan activist living in Germany under the sponsorship of PEN Germany, offering an in-depth cultural and political analysis. Additionally, the celebrated Ugandan poet Ber Anena penned an essay titled “The Grace of Escape,” reflecting on her childhood experiences during the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict from 1987 to 2012.
Oysters & Pearls Uganda
S.O.U.L. Foundation
dan@dannelken.com
+1212-532-7471
http://www.dannelken.com
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