THIS IS in response to your front-page article yesterday headlined Woman helps hubby pick second wife.
Lewis Madhlangobe
I see a submissive young woman sitting at a distance apart from a male individual leading me to conclude she was showing respect — sitting with her father, father-in law, babamkhulu not sure.
That small distance between these two people in the picture appears to communicate that they are not emotionally connected. The woman may have been crying before this picture was taken — eyes appear swollen, and she is holding a handkerchief in her hand a suggestion that yes, something is not right.
Looking aside when relating a story that you are supposed to be supporting is a way of telling the people — you and me — that the story they are listening to is not true. She looks resigned at this point in time.
Normally, women of her age move around without a handbag — that one is missing to complete her ability to communicate her being a woman. Did she prefer a piece of cloth to complete her feminine expression to the public?
If everything was alright, she would have put a little bag on top of the table to express elegance, womanhood or mature completeness. One question I have for this woman is; “Was she in a relationship with this guy as a chimutsamapfiwa/ owangenwayo?”
From the body language, she seems to tell her audience that she is absent-minded and totally disinterested in whatever was being discussed by the guy siting next to her.
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To me the guy in the picture appears to be imposing or dominating whatever conversation there was. However, his bearded face creates a feeling of an individual who wants to be feared instead of being respected — the wrinkled forehead says it all. A tilted face towards the audience should express a struggle to produce a convincing fact.
Equally the same with a slight tilt to the front by the woman, it expresses resignation. Another way to look at the picture is that the man may have been reprimanding or had reprimanded her earlier over something she did or said. And now in front of some authority or other senior family members she is siting there to legitimatise what the other person is saying.
The sadness, gloom, depression and grief that the woman is communicating through her facial expression is sending a strong message to photographers: “Please help, something is not right and I need help right now!”
Because the man is a much older person, the woman may be his daughter, niece or the same age as his own child, so there is a “respect-your-elders” relationship between these two.
One way to read pictorial expressions of this guy with huge arms, wide shoulders and some interesting hair style is to say yes, he is powerful, dominating, and needs and uses his space.
However, the facial expressions show no mercy at all if the other person were to set her foot wrong. The imposing figure creates fear among those around him, but it is only when the person starts to speak that you may feel at ease around that individual.
What more with a young woman next to him?
