Interpretaciones de la Sal (Salt Interpretations)

Las Nietas de Nonó is an artist duo founded by Mapenzi Chibale and Mulowayi Iyaye. Their installation is a visual and sonic exploration that interprets the mysteries of Las Salinas of Cabo Rojo, located southwest of Puerto Rico. The aboriginal Araucos people began extracting salts in AD 700. Upon their arrival in the 16th century, the Spanish took over salt extraction using the local Taínos people for slave labour. Today, the landscape is still used for commercial extraction by a private operator, though the property is owned and operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Both in the video and in the tapestry, Mapenzi Chibale is shown using their body to interact with the salt flats – pointing to the physical labour involved in the history of slavery, while Mulowayi Iyaye is filming the performance with her cell phone. The video is a precursor of Las Nietas de Nonó’s venture into film and cinematographic techniques.