Listening to the past : a subjective exploration of cultural continuity in Shona migration through sculptural works

Abstract

This study explores the intersections of cultural memory, migration, and identity through sculptural installations that merge personal narratives with historical Shona migratory experiences. Grounded in myth-making and oral histories, the research examines how contemporary art can serve as a vessel for ancestral knowledge, fostering dialogue between past and present migratory movements. Utilising natural materials such as clay, wood, stone, and found objects, the study reinterprets the materiality of Shona heritage while addressing the complexities of displacement, adaptation, and belonging. By engaging with archaeological traces from the Great Zimbabwe civilisation and Leopard Kopje migrations, the research situates contemporary migratory experiences within a broader historical continuum. Through a multidisciplinary approach that integrates art practice, historical analysis, and critical theory, this study demonstrates how sculpture and installation art can embody both personal and collective memories of migration. The research ultimately contributes to the discourse on cultural reinvention, offering a visual and sensory exploration of shifting identities in the context of urban transience and academic migration.