Congolese Photographer Honors Overlooked African Heroines

Congolese photographer Pamela Tulizo is challenging the historical marginalization of African women through “Mababu,” a collection of 23 staged photographs celebrating female resistance and resilience. Inspired by women in her hometown of Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tulizo explored how women’s contributions to African history have frequently been overlooked, particularly in accounts of slavery and anti-colonial resistance. Her series portrays historical figures, including Kimpa Vita and Queen Nzinga, both of whom opposed European expansion during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Combining elaborate costumes, makeup, actors, and outdoor settings, the photographs confront historical suffering while presenting women as powerful figures rather than passive victims. Tulizo’s work also connects the exploitation of commodities such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar during slavery to contemporary conflicts in eastern Congo driven by demand for minerals.