Genevieve Maynard Photography

Centocow Mission Station, KwaZulu - Natal, South Africa

Arriving on rough dirt roads after days and days of rain in January 2021 I had my first view of Centocow Mission Station while crossing the bridge over the Ngwangwane Mzimkhulu river. It was much larger than I had expected with the two story red-brick mission buildings climbing up the rich green hillside leading to St Apollinaris Hospital. The church was locked tight but I found a sister walking through the rear gates of the hospital and asked about access to the church. I explained that I had emailed in advance for permission to take photos and she asked me to wait while she went to talk to her superior, returning a few minutes later with an enormous iron key. She handed it to me, saying that she was on her lunch break, and asked me to drop it back to the convent when I was finished.
 
Development of the site began in 1888, with building of the first church, now an art gallery, commencing in 1892. These photos are from the second church built in 1910.
 
Sometimes colour interferes with or detracts from an image, but after looking at black and white versions of these photos I felt colour was an essential part of the story of this church and mission station.