Touching souls through henna

Humna Mustafa tells Shivangi Ambani-Gandhi that henna allows her to touch souls, tell stories and connect with her traditions and family.

The Indian groom’s passion for his bride is tested by the colour that her hennaed hands take—the deeper the colour, the deeper the passion is supposed to be. Similarly, the deep hues of Humna Mustafa’s hennaed textiles seem to reflect her passion for henna art.

Mustafa’s intricate, intense henna designs—from traditional peacocks to hypnotic concentric patterns—embedded onto textiles, were hung at the Arts Space, Adelaide Festival Centre as part of the Following Threads exhibition. Mustafa’s installation, titled Following Humna consisted of four panels tracing her journey of immigration from Karachi to Adelaide.

The first piece, Earth, she says, represents the beginning of the journey from Karachi. “(It is) a piece that symbolises a tight knit family and a communal family system.” The compactly woven Ajrak patterns (a traditional fabric created by block printing in Pakistan) acknowledge the importance of togetherness, over that of the individual.

Fire symbolises passion, soul and culture and is representative of India. “My passion is my culture,” says Mustafa. “The paisley design, based on an unripened mango, symbolises virginity, traditionally drawn on a bride to indicate her virtue.”

The third panel, Water, reminds Mustafa of her time in Iran and the discovery of new cultures. “The elaborate mosque-like patterns here represent what I understand of spirituality and a deeper meaning of my religion.”

Finally, Air, is for freedom and friendships found in Australia. “On reaching Australia, I felt I became even closer to my culture, traditions and religion,” she says. “While the concentric mandalas echo my inner growth of true self, a fusion of patterns ruptures societal boundaries, acknowledging that what makes this country is the coming together of many cultures and the telling of global stories.”

Stories are an intrinsic part of Mustafa’s practice—the henna patterns are the language in which she speaks. “My story is your story and your story is mine. It sounds confusing to others but my patterns are stories of the souls,” she says. “I don't see the human form as a body, but I see the soul within them. I believe, humans are a form of energy (kind of light ), and over the years, due to so much materialism around us, that inner light has been put aside in many people and in some it has almost died. When I draw the patterns, I see that light inside each soul and create a symbolic pattern that reflects that light. Hence, I create a new pattern every time I touch a soul, narrating a story about them.”

This connection that Mustafa sees between her art and the human soul is also reflected in her alternate reading of the four pieces in Following Humna. She reveals that each piece also represents her three sisters and herself.

She writes on her blog, “Earth reminds me of my youngest sister, Raazah, who has always been the peace maker of our family and has a heart of gold. Water reflects the spirit of religion and belief, reminds me of my eldest sister, Munazza . Fire is about culture that keeps me glowing from within just like Maria. The last piece, Air is how I see myself—living life like a free bird, growing in the direction of the wind, in search of discovering the many layers of life and its magical experiences.”

In henna, Mustafa finds an intrinsic link to the beloved family she has left behind. While textile design and henna became her profession only upon her formal graduation, the beginnings of her art lay in her grandmother who introduced her to henna when she was just three years old.

Later, she saw her mother drawing the patterns on relatives a night before all religious, cultural and traditional ceremonies. She began practicing on her cousins, neighbours and extended family. “I miss being there for my nephew and niece’s birthdays and special ceremonies. It's quite hard when I see henna done by others on them. So, whenever I go to see them I make sure we have a few sessions of henna bonding time with each one of them.”