Mercy Hombakazi Nqandeka is the multi-talented creative force behind Transkei History and Heritage, a collective dedicated to preserving, sharing, and celebrating the rich, complex tapestry of Xhosa culture. Raised in the rural village of Mqhele in Elliotdale along South Africa's Wild Coast, her deep reverence for ancestral traditions, language, and generational storytelling forms the emotional core of her multidisciplinary practice. Nqandeka seamlessly blends evocative visual imagery with carefully crafted written narratives, making her a formidable and passionate contemporary advocate for indigenous knowledge systems.

Her artistic and cultural endeavors are backed by an impressive academic foundation. An agriculturalist by training, Nqandeka holds a double Master’s degree in Climate Change, Agriculture, and Transition from the National University of Ireland and SupAgro Montpellier in France, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University focusing on indigenous medicine.