First Edition, Italy, 2023

MABUYA - a zine born from the collaboration between photographer Camilla Liconti and writer Ludmilla Nakaema.

Mabui (or Mabuya), is a key concept for the Japanese island of Okinawa. It represents the soul, the essence of the self. If it’s not protected, this delicate energy force can be lost. Traumatic events, periods of sadness, stress, loneliness, or helplessness can result in the loss of someone’s Mabui. Without Mabui a person can become stuck in a trance-like state. According to tradition, a formula can help restore it, but only by going back to the point where we lost our mabui can we find ourselves again. Images and words bring us into a dreamlike world, and the zine explores a journey of self-discovery and metamorphosis, inspired by the author’s personal journeys in finding themselves.