Artwork Description

 | Homecoming is a celebration and it has always been an overwhelming one for me. Across the Indian ocean are my brothers, sisters, my folks, family and my friends. It truly is an amazing feeling to be a part of both.
 
 Back in the days, my grandmother used to lay her collection of sarees and ask me to pick one for her on various occasions and we'd spend hours doing that. She'd tell me stories of her favourite ones. She was admired, not just by Indians but also Malawians. And we felt the same way looking at them. While we draped our sarees, they wrapped themselves with chitenges.
 
 Chitenge is a piece of clothing that is wrapped around the waist or chest. It's also worn as a headscarf and used as a baby sling. They used traditional methods of wax batik techniques to print. The patterns printed are influenced by politics, religion and tribe.
 
 "Not until the early 2000s, was chitenge elevated in the fashion world. Prior to this, it was seen by many as not good enough or not stylish enough. It is now viewed as more than just a fabric for the underclass and for doing house chores." 
 
 "Today, chitenge is more than just a fabric used by African women; it has been modernized, incorporated into contemporary designs and is now also worn by men. Furthermore, it is mixed and matched with western-style clothing." 
 
 In recent years, I've seen both the cultures wearing and sharing traditional clothing. And this is my memory of homecoming.