Geboorteceremonie en huwelijksplechtigheid onder de Khoikhoi 1729

Bernard Picart created this print, “Geboorteceremonie en huwelijksplechtigheid onder de Khoikhoi”, the birth and marriage ceremonies of the Khoikhoi, an indigenous people of southwestern Africa. As part of a series on global religious rites, this work reflects the colonial gaze of the 18th century. Through the lens of the Enlightenment era, Picart interprets and represents cultural practices he likely never witnessed firsthand. The print offers a glimpse into rituals surrounding birth and marriage, yet it does so through a Western filter, one that exoticizes and generalizes the Khoikhoi people as "Cafres," a derogatory term used by Europeans. Picart emphasizes the communal and natural aspects of Khoikhoi life, but his romanticized depiction potentially flattens the complexities of their social structures and spiritual beliefs. Consider how the act of depicting another culture can perpetuate power dynamics, and how our understanding of such images evolves over time. The emotional weight lies in recognizing the humanity of the Khoikhoi people beyond this historical representation.