Body Map Artists Visits DK Arts

Ncedeka, who hails from Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape is living with the HIV virus but is not letting it stand in the way of her living her life and enjoying being alive. Ncedeka is one of the thirteen women and men who were part of the Body Map initiative that drew its members from Medical Sans Frontiers (MSF).

When she arrived at David Krut Arts Resource to sign her canvases of the body map she created at the time of the project there was an immediate air of festivity. She charmed the DK team with her beautiful smile, open face and peaceful personality.

I had the honour and the pleasure of interviewing her to find out her story, her views on HIV, and her opinion on the role the government is playing in the fight against HIV and Aids. I was also interested to find out what she has been doing since the body maps project.

Bazukile:
When and how did you discover that you were HIV positive?

Ncedeka:
I found out I was HIV positive when my daughter died at the age of a year and four months. When my daughter was born I was not aware that I had this virus and I believe I must passed the virus onto her when I was breastfeeding or even possibly at the moment of giving birth. It was very difficult losing my baby and I still haven’t forgotten the pain. I remember that it was on Easter Monday when she passed away. The doctors tested her blood and discovered that she was positive and that I was also positive. Not long after her passing I was admitted to Brooklyn hospital for T.B. This all happened in 1999, and I was in hospital for three months.

Bazukile:
On the body map you say: “this virus has damaged my skin”
What are the marks you mention on your body map? I don’t see any unseemly marks on your face.

Ncedeka:
You are seeing me only now, I guess because the face is so smooth the marks have disappeared very fast but if you look at my legs and the rest of my body I still have marks from the sores that I had all over my body. The sores used to seep with puss and I was not very good to look at, but because of the great medication that is available these days I haven’t gone through that again. I started taking ARV’s in 2002 and I eat healthily and always take my medication at the same time every day without fail.

Bazukile:
I can see that you are very comfortable with yourself and you seem to have come to terms with your condition, how long did it take you to accept, or perhaps I should ask what helped you to accept?

Ncedeka:
I joined a support group called the Bambanani that I found through MSF and soon I was able to talk about what I was feeling and thinking. In actual fact I also met Jonathan of Body Maps through MSF. At the beginning there were a lot of us but soon the numbers dwindled and only thirteen of us were left, twelve women and one man. The man whose name is Thobani didn’t complete his body map but he is also featured in the book Long Life: Positive HIV stories.

Bazukile:
How did Body Maps help you?

Ncedeka:
The Body Maps allowed me to express everything from deep within myself. I was given the chance to let everything out without holding back. It really helped me to come to terms with the virus in my body and it gave me hope.

Bazukile:
Since this project helped you, are you doing anything to help other people who are living with the virus?

Ncedeka:
I manage to help some people but it is only when someone approaches me and asks for my help. I am always willing to talk about my status and to help anyone who needs my help. The only problem is that people are still scared to disclose their status and in such cases there is not much I can do.

Bazukile:
Do you think that people in South Africa still treat people with the virus badly? And do you ever feel that people are discussing you when you are in the room?

Ncedeka:
Things have improved but unfortunately there are still people who discriminate. There is not much that can be done for those people but I believe that they should be careful, because you will find that they don’t even know their status. Today they may be pointing fingers and tomorrow they could discover that they to have the virus, and then what? Will they be pointing a finger at themselves?

Bazukile:
Talking about people pointing fingers only to discover that they too might have the virus, what do you think of testing, and do you feel that people should be doing it more?

Ncedeka:
I promote people getting tested, but you can’t force people. An individual has to be ready to get tested. That person is then in a better position to be accepting if the results come out HIV positive.

Bazukile:
I know you are not a political person but I would like to hear your view on the government’s policy on HIV and Aids.

Ncedeka:
Government has got to pull up their socks! People discover that they have the virus and that they need to get medication. Often you will find that these people are unemployed, so they turn to the government and apply for grants. Getting grants is a long process, and then some of them are not approved for reasons we will never understand or know. I ask you, how can someone take their medication on a hungry stomach? Unemployment is a huge issue in our country.

And as for Minster of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang I really do wonder if one of her family members had the virus, would she tell them to eat beetroot. Really!

Ncedeka is currently doing research work for UCT, which she really enjoys. Right now she plans on relaxing in Johannesburg at her sister’s place before she has to go back to Cape Town to her busy schedule.

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