UN/FOLDING_RE/FOLDING_FOLDED: Imiphindo kwaXhosa is a practice-led podcast project by Siviwe James that unfolds as a sonic archive and a site of return. Through a series of intimate audio-visual encounters, the podcast explores the fold as both method and metaphor in African fashion—inviting listeners into the sensory, spiritual, and social lives of garments, rituals, and everyday cultural gestures. The project is supported by the African Fashion Research Institute (AFRI) and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
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UN/FOLDING_RE/FOLDING_FOLDED: Imiphindo kwaXhosa is a practice-led podcast project by Siviwe James that unfolds as a sonic archive and a site of return. Through a series of intimate audio-visual encounters, the podcast explores the fold as both method and metaphor in African fashion—inviting listeners into the sensory, spiritual, and social lives of garments, rituals, and everyday cultural gestures. The project is supported by the African Fashion Research Institute (AFRI) and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
The language of clothing has the capacity to announce your historical, social, psychological, anthropological perspectives. Our language of clothing offers us a material vocabulary that is as robust as our spoken form. It can be precise in affirming and locating our positioning in society.
While at the Willowvale Arts Center, we sit with the Makers in the center, taking our place as students in their place of teaching. KuGatyana we are reminded of dress codes and the relationship had with isihlonipho (the language/ways of respect). We are re-aligned with isinxibo kwaXhosa, that it is a never ending opportunity for one to embody knowledges/lessons za kwaXhosa as an act of showing respect/reverence for abantu abadala (ancestors/elders of the community).
Our material lens becomes umbhaco nendlela umtu wesi-mama anxiba ngayo (umbhaco and the way in which a married woman dresses).
When do we wear umbhaco? How has it come to be an integral part of isinxibo samaXhosa? Uthini umohluko kumbhaco nesishweshwe? (What is the difference between umbhaco and isishweshwe?)
Community contributors
The James Family
Mrs Kutazwa James
The community yaku Gatyana
Willowvale Arts Center and with special thanks to the Art Center Manager, Lukhanyo Muluse
Azola Krweqe
Ms Nobuhle James
Mrs Nokhaya Jilingisa
Willowvale Makers Co-op
Mr Mangaliso Jafta
Special thanks to the production team:
Executive Producer - Bongani Tau
Content Advisor - Sihle Sogaula
Graphic Designers - 2DOTS Space Agency
UN/FOLDING_RE/FOLDING_FOLDED is nestled under THE FOLD – a creative and collaborative research project led by the African Fashion Research Institute in partnership with Creative Nestlings Foundation for the New Narratives Programme 2023
Imiphindo kwaXhosa
UN/FOLDING_RE/FOLDING_FOLDED: Imiphindo kwaXhosa is a practice-led podcast project by Siviwe James that unfolds as a sonic archive and a site of return. Through a series of intimate audio-visual encounters, the podcast explores the fold as both method and metaphor in African fashion—inviting listeners into the sensory, spiritual, and social lives of garments, rituals, and everyday cultural gestures. The project is supported by the African Fashion Research Institute (AFRI) and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
