THE AFRICAN BEADS

Ntombizanele Zodwe is a 55 years old mother of 3 children from scenery park in East London. She is a business woman who makes and sells the traditional beads in the streets of Quinney, East London.

Her passion for making the beads started at the age of 10 years old. Her mother was the one who taught her how to make the beads. Her traditional beads are Zulu and Xhosa inspired beads. Her business started 40 years ago and she says that it is not the same as it was years ago.

South Africa is a beautiful diverse country with so many different beautiful cultures and traditions. We have different ways of wearing our traditional attire and that make us this beautiful rainbow nation. Mam’Ntombizanele’s work is inspired by two nations, Xhosa and Zulu nation. Zulu beads are made from different types of colours, red blue white and yellow beads. The Zulu beads are also known as ubuhlali and the white beads are used by virgin girls when they go to Emhlangeni, the tradition of the Zulu nation which take place in September and the king gets to choose his new bride to be there.

The Xhosa nation beads are made from white and blue colours. These beads are worn with the traditional dresses called Umbhaco. These beads are also known as intsimbi and they are usually worn during the traditional ceremonies. Her work of the Xhosa beads includes the small knobkerrie beading and bracelets. It usually takes her 2 to 3 days making a big necklace bead. The Xhosa nation is a very large nation with so many other tribes within this nation.