Queen warrior Nzinga ruled over the Ndongo and Matamba kingdoms for decades, Considered to be King of her people, she surrounded herself by young men who dressed as women and were her wives. Wherever she appeared, her subjects fell to their knees and kissed the ground. Nzinga’s behavior was not some personal idiosyncrasy but was based on beliefs that recognized gender as situational and symbolic as much as a personal, innate characteristic of the individual. A result of these beliefs was the presence of an alternative gender role among groups in the Kongo and Ndonga kingdoms.
- From “Boy Wives & Female Husbands” (2019)
Featuring / Efia, Atlas Hapy, Obakeng Ndebele
Photography / Yannis Davy Guibinga assisted by Kano Kano
Styling / Tinashe Musara assisted by Haji Maa
MUA / Jess Cohen