Fertile ground/
snake plant
a decolonizing ritual by Fazle Shairmahomed, Ruby Joemai, Damani Leidsman, Şevval Kayhan & community members
Healing is communal, healing is spiritual, healing is in the body and in spaces in between, healing is to be in harmony with plants and nature. “What do you feel when you think about the spiritual power of plants and ancestry?
Fertile Ground / is an art project of which the seeds are being sown,
about community healing and plants, slowly growing into a performance ritual, dance, music, workshops, a costume installation, podcast, and more.
Fertile Ground / Snake Plant
This project started with a personal research into the spiritual relation between the Snake Plant (Vrouwentong), which Fazle’s Nani (mother’s mother) brought with her when she migrated from Surinam, a land which was then still colonized by the Dutch, in the year before independence. Nani has been nurturing this plant ever since, and gifted several branches to her children and some of her grandchildren. The Snake Plant is native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo, as part of a colonial history. This plant has become a symbol of migration, rootedness, family and hybridization.
Fertile Ground / Costume Installation
The costume, designed by Ruby Joemai, serves as a tool for practicing communal healing. It was created through interactive sessions with community members, incorporating natural dyeing techniques, sensory exercises, reflective writing, and dance. This collaborative process ensures the costume belongs to everyone in the community.
We invite you to participate and discover a deeper connection with your ancestors and the healing power of plants.
