River Goddess

Title: ‘uNkulunkulukazi wamanzi’
by Claire Falconer
Limited edition: /18

Available to order: 6 weeks to delivery.

"And all afternoon I listened to the voices of the river talking.
Whenever the water struck the stone it had something to say,
And the water itself, and even the mosses trailing under the water.
And slowly, very slowly, it became clear to me what they were saying.
Said the river: I am part of holiness.
And I too, said the stone. And I too, whispered
The moss beneath the water."
 
-excerpt from ‘At The River Clarion’ by Mary Oliver

The goddess in this sculpture cups within her palm the eggs of the jacana bird. The African jacana has long claws which make it able to walk on lily pads. This is where it lays its eggs, out on the water. She is an image both at once universal and specific, highlighting the commonality among cultures, especially feminine interpretations of spiritual beliefs.