ixwa blue

Working with Condombé High Priestess Iyá Adriana de Nanã and drawing on Frantz Fanon’s theories of decolonization, Ixwa Blue explores the intricate process of decolonizing self and space.

In an exchange aided by Google Translate, Adriana shares an ancestral visitation with Thulani as they sit across from each other at a table in Pousada Convento do Carmo, located in Cachoeira. This city played a significant economic role in the colonial project, serving as a crucial link between the interior of Bahia and the capital, Salvador.

A key material in this exploration is Wadji (Sunshine Ultramarine Blue), widely used in Condombé and various Southern and West African spiritual practices. Wadji is believed to enhance the astral essence of people, places, or objects to which it is applied. As Indigenous and modern communication technologies converge, the video montage in Ixwa Blue traces several colonial architectural sites in Cachoeira, highlighting the layered histories embedded within these spaces.

Written, filmed and directed by: Thulani Rachia
Wadji cleansing filmed by: Ambroise Leclerc
Collaborator and Voice Over - Iyá Adriana de Nanã
Captions by: Sarya Wu