Article contributed by Kioko Daniel
“Yes, that exhibition you’ve been seeing airing around with a throne of knives, it is the one you are reading about”
It’s the second edition of the Shujaas Exhibition at The National Museum and somehow these showcasing always seem to find me out of town, moving around or just incapable of physically being there, and this outcome of events has created for me this nature of doing my own private tour once the main event is up and done. As we speak, I’m on my third visit – Side note: The ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, postulated that the meaning behind numbers was deeply significant. In their eyes the number 3 was considered as the perfect number, the number of harmony, wisdom and understanding!
You walk into the Shujaas exhibition, long after a number of art pieces and a stunning array of history that has been frozen in time. Giving credit where it’s due, the museum is brimming with so much beauty almost like a world of unaware truth that we are not accustomed to, yet truly the history of man, our past. And that is when the artistic creativity hits you! You’re suddenly in a room full of colour, fuming with curiosity and needing to be understood. From all the angles, a fierce force of power calls to you and makes you realise you’re in the presence of heroes – Superheroes.
I was a child once and all these names on the walls resonate with a memory in me. Mekatilili, Lwanda Magere, Wangu wa Makeri and many more names keep piquing my interest as I carefully read through the narratives alongside the artwork. “Well I didn’t know that, he had magical powers? she spoke to animals – an animal whisperer” The information is more than alarming, it’s inspiring and immediately I start daydreaming of The Avengers, Marvel and DC – basically superheroes I have grown up watching and fantasised about, a simple equation running through my mind: Man + Powers = Superhero. This keeps making more sense I should say!
The exhibition is a blessing in disguise, and the more you invest in the thought of what the vision is, the more you get curious about your heritage. The museum has allowed the exhibition to keep running for the near future and I’m sure that won’t be forever. If you have a minute, and need that good walk through life – visit the museum and better yet, ensure to hit the Shujaas Exhibition. “Did I mention there’s a throne made of knives, like who does that, eh, who does that!!!
This is awesome!