The rights activist who paints women in a different picture

It is a particularly hot Sunday in Dar es Salaam, and city dwellers have found refuge from the heat at the public beaches. Children bath in the shallow water, youngsters pose for photos in the breeze and two men even practice boxing. In the shade by some tall coral rocks, Sekela Mwaipaja has set up her small art studio. Paintings of women decorate the coral wall; one woman carries firewood on her head, another sets sail in a dhow, a third woman poses in the sunset.

“I paint women who are changing their lives,” 26-year-old Sekela says, “I want to show that there are no perfect women; we can both sail and carry wood on our heads.”

The young painter is defying gender norms through art. While her unorthodox motives position women outside traditional gender roles, her very act of painting is breaking boundaries too. In Tanzania, painting is a male dominated profession. Successful modern painters such as Edward Saidi Tingatinga and George Lilanga became pioneers of a colorful and playful artistic style in the 1960s and 1970s, however, women played a less significant role in developing the modern Tanzanian art scene.

Today, painters at art markets or workshops carry forward this Tanzanian style and it is still rare to witness a woman artist in these spaces. Perhaps this explains the reaction to Sekela’s paintings at the beach.

Passersby often stop to inspect her paintings: “Have you painted these?” they ask, barely suppressing their surprise. Even her male friends often question her passion, calling painting a man’s job. But instead of discouraging Sekela, their reactions spur her on.

“To do this is my way of saying: I can do anything as a woman,” Sekela says, “I wish there was a world where we were free from gender roles”.

Growing up with two younger brothers, Sekela liked to do all the things they did: she would climb trees, throw rocks, play football and dress like a boy. She hated to sweep the house or do the dishes and so she took turns with her brothers to do the house chores.

However, she soon discovered that reality outside their home was different. In primary school, girls and boys were not playing together and Sekela couldn’t play the fun games she used to with her brothers. At home, things changed too. Her mother would begin to treat her differently, calling her in early, explaining that “you are a lady now”. Sekela didn’t understand why different rules applied to her and her two brothers.

In boarding school, Sekela was quickly singled out as troublesome by the teachers. She was part of a group of seven girls who called themselves G7 and she refused to support her teacher’s favorite candidate in the school election. The teachers soon sought to punish Sekela and G7 for their rebellious stance and accused Sekela of sneaking away to night clubs late at night. Sekela denied the accusations.

“The headmaster was bothered that I stood up for myself – but I will not apologize for standing up for myself,” she says.

So Sekela continued to stand up for herself and speak up against discrimination. She changed schools and later she went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in arts and education at University of Dar es Salaam. Upon completing her studies, she was eager to work for the rights of women and girls, and she began interning at an organization that produces media content on women’s rights and empowerment.

Sam Vox Photography

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Sam Vox
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