nyoka shetani

direct translation in swahili: ‘the devil snake’

artwork created: January 2024

(Shetani are spirits of East African mythology, and still widely believed in today. Usually malevolent, Shetani are found in many different forms and variations with different powers, often appearing as distorted human and animal figures.)

A young woman gazes into a glittering mirrored pool under a radiant full moon. Suddenly, a Shetani emerges, mimicking her face and body. It greets her with a slightly unnerving grin upon its face, its grotesquely distorted body juxtaposes its luminous scales, shimmering in vibrant pinks and gold. Unbeknownst to the girl, the Shetani’s arm and hair hide a gnarled snake-like second head, mouth unhinged, poised to devour. But the young woman, too enamoured by the curious mirror beside her, doesn’t even notice the distorted mirage in the water, where the shetani’s true face cannot be hidden. Oblivious, she remains unable to grasp the truth unfolding right in front of her, unwittingly falling into the Shetani's trap. Spirit butterflies begin to envelope her, protecting and preparing her soul for transmutation. Meanwhile in the water, four baobab flowers gently drift by, one blooming alongside the young woman, ready to carry her soul to the spirit realm.