Roundtable: Lucky Sibiya’s uMabatha (Zulu Macbeth) Prints Between South Africa and Scotland

Lucky Sibiya (1942-1999) was a South African artist, born in Vryheid, who studied with Cecil Skotnes, head of the Polly Street Art Centre in Johannesburg. In the mid-1970s, Sibiya produced the uMabatha portfolio of fifteen woodcuts, inspired by the play, uMabatha by Welcome Msomi. uMabatha recounted epic nineteenth century Zulu history and tragedy, using the narrative structure of Shakespeare’s, Macbeth (The “Scottish Play”). Sibiya’s “Zulu Macbeth”, in vibrant, graphic woodcut, includes scenes depicting Zulu healers (Sangomas), meetings in Mabatha’s kraal and acts of betrayal.

For Black History Month, join art historians, curators and educators from Scotland and South Africa in a conversation about the importance of Sibiya’s work, and the role it can play in learning and in connecting distant, difficult histories.

This event is inspired by recent research into Sibiya’s print Sangomas (1975), in The Argyll Collection.

This online event takes place on 1 October 2026, 3pm-5pm UK time / 4pm-6pm South Africa time. If you book a place, you will be emailed a link to join. If you have any questions, please email asahh@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Online via MS Teams

Register for free

It is convened for Black History Month Scotland by the Africa-Scotland Art History Heritage Network, in collaboration with the Culture Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS).