Sacred decoration

Ritual Adornment in West Africa by Phyllis Galembo

I am fascinated by these West African Masquerade photographs taken by Phyllis Galembo, particularly the use of plants in the adornment. Phyllis' portfolio is amazing. I encourage you to take a look through her fascinating work exploring the themes of sacred decoration and ritual adornment. This sacred dressing is an important part of Ancestral Medicine and something that all indigenous cultures share. I believe it is a deep and important part of our psyche. We remember this.

This year as we feel so many changes, I am ever conscious of how I choose to dress and adorn myself in my day, in my work. And I am noticing this with other friends and artists and practitioners. It is not to take yourself seriously but to put meaning and conscious awareness into what we are wearing and how we are wearing it. Does it feel authentic? What is natural to you? How does it feel to wear, where was it made? Do you dress in a special outfit to do sacred and meaningful work? 


I believe we will be returning to creating our own clothing - how beautiful it will be to see more people expressing their spirit through their dress and moving away from the mass produced and cheap labour-fuelled 'uniforms' that have surrounded us over the years. The Artisans of Adornment are returning.