Maggie
I recently started a new job that has me working in Soweto one or two days a week. The perfect place to see some of the most loved shwe shwe outfits, but as yet have not had the courage to stop my car in the middle of Soweto and address the ladies wearing these. At the intersection where I turn off the main road to get to the police station I am working with, there is even a road side trader with a small gazebo selling traditional clothing, including some great shwe shwe.
Here is the first person I have managed to chat to and photograph. Her name is Maggie and she has a lovely patchwork shwe shwe skirt on - similar to the one Elizabeth made at my house last year.
Maggie bought her skirt from a women in the community who specializes in shwe shwe. Her friend who was walking with her was more eager to give me all the answers to my questions before Maggie did.
The reason I was able to take this picture, was because we had organised an event for Child Protection Week and I was actually standing in the street near the police station with my camera out waiting to take photos of the street procession we had organised, when Maggie walked past.
Getting out of my car to speak to people is still a big barrier for me, so perhaps I need to spend some time out of my car in Soweto to get these pictures. A while ago Joan sent me an email telling me she had been on a tour of Soweto and that after stopping at Regina Mundi, the famous church in Soweto she saw many women wearing shwe shwe. I now pass the church on my way in every time, and should really stop there soon and actually go see the church and the historical areas around it
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