Notes

Sekoto's account of a Death ceremony in Casamance, Senegal below, describes some of the captivating events which inspired this painting.

'The sacrifices were performed, of killing fowls, a cow and a bull quite brutally, all done with at a certain rate of timing, while men jumped up like gazelles with panga knives. Later came some women - certain with babies on their backs - wielding little tree branches all dancing to the rhythm of drummers. There were no signs of weeping or crying over the dead but, on the contrary, an atmosphere of merriment and triumph.

All along we were taking sketches to remind us for doing paintings later, but as this ceremony went on from the afternoon to night-time, we had to leave before it was over since our place of residence was a distance away from that scene which was outstanding.'¹

1. Barbara Lindop (1988) Gerard Sekoto, Johannesburg: Dictum Press. Pages 38 and 39.

Literature