Benguerra Ikebana with Sanri Pienaar

November 2024

Our home on Benguerra Island is known for its incredible biodiversity, due to the close proximity of seven different ecosystems hosting an abundance of land and marine wildlife. Much is known about the wild species of the island and Indian Ocean, however the raw and quiet beauty of the local flowers, trees and plants deserves an equal amount of attention and grace.

We invited our long time friend and creative collaborator, Sanri Pienaar to view the native flora of the sanctuary through the gaze of Ikebana, and record some of the arrangements she collected on her daily walks throughout the coastal forest, dunes and Kisawa gardens.

While not a widely practiced tradition of Mozambique, Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement emphasises minimalism, asymmetry, and the careful selection and placement of flowers, stems, and other natural elements like branches and leaves. Ikebana also seeks to create harmony and express beauty through simplicity and balance – concepts that resonate with our goals of wellbeing and design at Kisawa.

The practice of ikebana is not only about arranging flowers aesthetically but also about reflecting the seasonal elements, the space around the arrangement, and even the spiritual or emotional meanings associated with the materials used. Traditionally, ikebana has been deeply connected to Zen Buddhism, with arrangements symbolising the relationship between humanity, nature, and the universe.

Benguerra Ikebana felt like the perfect way to adhere to the overall philosophy of the ancient art form, with the addition of a Mozambican twist, through the inclusion of shells from our coastline and wild fruits from the Kisawa garden.

We adore working with Sanri and seeing the property through her creativity, artfulness and skill.