Moonbride and Sunbride

This work was one of a series of prints the artist made depicting various iterations of the ‘moon bride’ and ‘sun bridegroom’ theme. This is a both a creation myth and a kinship myth in many African cosmologies.

The marriage of the moon and the sun is depicted as a glowing orb in the background, and an entire community looks on as witnesses to the ceremony. It is a utopian scene, but one in which Rakgoathe’s linocut print acts as a vital cultural document of a set of foundational mystical beliefs. 

Artwork courtesy of Durban Art Gallery.