While global platforms provide wider recognition for ‘Afrikan’ design, they present challenges such as cultural appropriation and the erosion of indigenous knowledge (Oguibe, 2002). Through an Afrikan-centred and critical design approach, there is the potential to challenge the dominant narrative and foster cultural resilience by grounding creative practices in Rasa principles. Rasa theory is an aesthetic framework derived from classical Indian philosophy (Pandit 2024). This paper addresses the challenge of preserving ‘Afrikan’ cultural identity and fostering societal engagement through design. It explores how emotional resonance in art and design can be leveraged to celebrate cultural heritage, support societal protest, and balance South African national identity with global influences. Emotional resonance in art to Afrikan-centred design strengthens cultural narratives and collective memories. Expanding on critical design broadens the approach to include not only cultural preservation but also social activism as a decolonial design. By integrating the Rasa framework, particularly bhava (emotion) and rasa (aesthetic flavour), designers can strategically evoke sentiments such as nostalgia (karuna-rasa), heroism (veer-rasa) or wonder (adbhuta-rasa), allowing a deeper connection between audiences and cultural narratives. This approach is particularly relevant in a post-colonial context, where identity is continuously negotiated. Through an analysis of contemporary South African design practices, design can navigate the tension between local traditions, applying rasa to create artefacts that resonate emotionally and contextually (Mitra, 2016). This synthesis aligns with the principles of rasa, which emphasise a holistic and immersive experience rather than mere aesthetic appreciation. Embracing cultural hybridity through an emotive and sensorial lens can assert its unique identity without succumbing to cultural dilution (Bhabha 1994). By engaging disruptive aesthetics and counter narratives, unconventional design methodologies, such as speculative design, subversive typography and visual satire, can challenge dominant ideologies and provoke critical engagement. The impact of design extends beyond aesthetics, becoming an instrument of cultural preservation of African pride. The fusion of traditional African visual language with critical design in the South African context has the potential to challenge dominant narratives, foster cultural resilience, and drive social change (Ofosu-Asare 2025). Through this process, one is able to examine how design activism and disruptive visual narratives serve as tools for decolonial discourse, emphasising the role of design in fostering dialogue, resistance, and collective empowerment (Bhabha 1994). This paper contributes to the field by providing a nuanced understanding of how South African designers can harness both African and Indian aesthetic traditions to amplify cultural narratives and drive societal change.
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