Laura Nyahuye makes wearable body Adornments. Her work challenges perceptions and addresses issues, to do with Women and Migrant communities, Tokenism, Marginalisation, Discrimination which are real-life issues, affecting migrant communities. These topics are woven into Laura’s poetic writing and handmade body adornments. Laura is driven by the desire to see a better tomorrow for the next generation, to see a flicker of hope in the eyes of a fellow woman and for communities to connect, despite race, language and religion. 

“I have no desire to desire to fit in.” [Laura Nyahuye]

Skin by Laura Nyahuye

Skin, is inspired by my convictions, beliefs and refusal to conform to a society that treats humans according to melanin levels. Skin, is highlighting the fact that whether we admit or not. We are ALL humans with RED blood running through our veins. Skin, is inviting the reader, audience to IMAGINE a world where skin is skin, because after all, that’s what skin is. Skin is SKIN.

Skin a layer that, society has used to discriminate, segregate, torture, divide humans.

Imagine a world where skin is a celebration of our extraordinary individuality?

‘I have no desire to fit in’ LNyahuye

Skin…

Congratulations! Makorokoto! Amhlophe! It’s a baby girl!

melanin levels 0.375

Skin Type VI

Closed boarders

Classified

Profiled

Skin… Care… Ganda…

She snuggled me in a hand knitted woollen blanket

Sooo cosy, bundled up like a little sausage.

All l wanted was to stay in this weightless, cosy blanket forever,

Zvachose!

Creamy white milk, mukaka, dripped from her

Dark pigmented breasts

her scent called me… so l cried

No.. l howled

In a split second my dark lips latched onto my mother’s dark nipples

My mother my hero…

Amai vangu…

Skin … Care… Ganda…

melanin levels 0,440

Skin Type V

detained

detention centre

Gifts collecting dust

l stepped out of our front door into the cold blistery morning

It was my second week of school, my uniform still hanging on my body

Playing hang … man

She called me back, looked at me…

No;… looked at my skin, ganda rangu

her eyes roamed … my forehead, skin,

Cheeks, skin, ganda

lips, skin, chin,skin

neck,ears, skin, ganda

Arms, elbows,skin, ganda

Legs, skin, knees, skin,

Ganda, skin is ashy…she said, ndakachenuruka…

Amai vangu…

Skin … Care… Ganda…

melanin levels 0.212

Skin Type IV

Stateless, visaless

In limbo

She picked up the

chubby plastic jar

it was yellow kunge zuva

Her homemade skin moisturiser, filled the jar to the brim

kuzara kuti ta!

She dipped her dark index finger into the jar

Placed a dollop of the creamy,

Butter like, homemade moisturiser

Bang in the middle of her palm…

Then rub…rub…rub…her palms together

Until her palms glistened with oil as if they were oil producing palm trees

Amai vangu

Skin … Care… Ganda…

melanin levels 0.212

skin Type VI

Stopped and searched

Racially abused

Profiled

her glistening palms landed on my face,

my face tightened with a frown, kufinyama

my mouth formed a Nicely shaped ooo, muromo wangu

my nose flared up, mhino

her palms, rhythmically danced on my skin, ganda rangu,

my skin yielded, meso angu , my flared up nose conceded,

the ooo on my mouth loosened

And my skin… my skin

ganda rangu

Danced… danced…danced

To the rhythm

Of her palms

Amai Vangu!!!

Skin… Care… Ganda…

melanin levels 0.375

skin Type VI

closed doors

closed boarders

Angry black female

She said

Looking after your skin is key

They said you are too dark for our country

She said make sure you bath or shower every day

They said you are a monkey

She said make your own concoction; mix with shea butter, coconut oils, mustard oil, rosemary its good for your skin

They said you are stealing our jobs

She said these plants and herbs are God given for us to use and enjoy

Love your skin, ganda rako, let it glow…glow

Penya kunge zuva

They said these migrants, messing everything up

Destroying our economy

Skin… Care… Ganda…

Some bleach it,

Roast it

Some tan it

Some frown upon it

Weaponise it

Moisturise it

Some Cut it!

Skin…Ganda…

Largest human body part

Underneath it flows red blood

Skin ganda

Underneath is it lays our bones,

hearts, kidneys, intestines

yours

mine

Black skin, white skin, brown skin, all skin

Imagine a world were skin is skin

Black skin, white skin, brown skin, all skin

A testimony of love and no apologies

Imagine a world where skin… Ganda

Opens boarders…

Imagine…

Laura Nyahuye Zimbabwean born, UK

18th May 2020