Burning Camphor
2023
As part of the installation and exhibition, For protection, with love, I performed a camphor ritual that my Guyanese family traditionally used to ward off evil…
I began by placing a glowing hot charcoal briquette in an old pie tin. After dropping a piece of camphor resin on top of the briquette, the resin began producing its characteristic earthy, medicinal smoke. With an open invitation, I guided each member of the public to stand motionless as I took the smoking pie tin and made a circular motion three times in front of their face, behind their head, around each hand, and around each foot.
Passed down to me by my aunties, this ritual is a tender act of love, meant to be both given and shared.
