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A
Brief Historical View of Traditional African Beadwork :
Article about traditional African Beadwork
Africa Direct
- Beadwork : Commercial site but shows beautiful examples of traditional and
old beadwork by the Cameroon, Kirdi/Fulani, Kuba, Maasai, Ndebele, Xhosa, Yoruba
and Zulu.
African
Beadwork (amongst the Thembu People) : Brief article about how traditional
beadwork among the Xhosa has almost completely died out
with only a few elderly women still retaining the skills to create it.
African
Trade Beads : This is a commercial site, but shows examples of both old and
new African Trade Beads. Click on thumbnails of each type to view a more
extensive variety.
An African
Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus : Shows the positive and negative
symbolic meanings of each color and gives information about how the colors are
used.
Bead
Code of the Zulus: This site describes how the giving of beadwork is used
toexpress romantic interest as well as the symbolic meanings of the seven colors
that are used.
Beaded
Splendor: Migration of Beadmaking and Beadwork Throughout Africa: This is a
site of the Smithsonian Museum. Through its links, extensive information is
provided about:
·
The
History of Beadmaking, Trade & Techniques
·
Beadmaking
Among Particular African Peoples;
·
Importance
of Beads as Personal Adornment;
·
Beaded
Splendor Image Gallery
Beadwork
in the Zulu Cultural Tradition: On this site you will find a compilation of
the work of Dr Hilgard Stanley Schoeman, a well-known expert on beadwork of the
South African Nguni people. The links take you to extensive information about
different styles, their cultural significance including how they are used, and
pictures:
·
Traditional
Necklaces;
·
Adornment
of the Head;
·
Adornment
of the Chest, Waist and Lower Body;
·
Adornment
of the Limbs;
·
Items
Worn by Izangoma - specialists in traditional magic
Beads
and Beadwork: Late 19th century picture of a lovely young Zulu
woman draped in her beadwork. Scroll down the page to see some beautiful
examples. Images are clickable for wonderful close-up views.
Chasing
Rainbows – Kiffa Beads : Extensive article with pictures in the Lapidary
Journal about the exquisite beads made by the Kiffa of Mauritania.
Chromography
with Beads : Very brief document with pictures. Interesting information
about the color sequencing developed in Zulu beadwork.
Eloquent
Elegance: Beadwork in the Zulu Tradition : Lots of information and examples.
Filizana
: A cooperative established as a job creation project in rural South Africa.
·
Filizana:
Information about the project
·
Beadwork
: with links to wonderful pictures of both traditional and modern examples.
·
Ndebele
: Brief information
Glass
Beads Made in Africa : A three-part article about how glass beads are made
by different African tribes. Part I focuses on Bida, Nigeria; Part
II on Kiffa and Wet-Core Beads; and Part
III on Dry Powder-Glass Beads in Ghana.
Ndebele
Beadwork : Gives general information as well as a brief glossary defining
the various forms. Click on “Go to Beadwork” link at the bottom of the page
to view examples.
Ndebele Beadwork
: This is a commercial site, but this page shows an example and provides a brief
glossary with explanation.
The Art
of Ndebele Beadwork : Extensive and excellent article by Lindsay Hooper of
the South African Museum that appeared in Sagittarius, Volume 3, Number
4, December 1988. Click on links to see examples of each type.
The Cultured Bead : Info
about an exhibit. Scroll to bottom of page to see an example of Masaii glass
beadwork.
The
Glory of African Beadwork: Extensive article by Ettagale Blauer on the
cultural significance of beadwork among the Zulu, Xhosa and Ndbele.
The
Story of Zulu Beads : Great article with clickable pictures.
Traditional Ndebele
Beadwork : Three examples are shown.
Xhosa Beadwork :
The Reeston Beadwork Project near East London, South Africa was started to
ensure that the beadwork tradition among the Xhosa does not become a lost art.
Shows a picture of the four women beadworkers and eight examples.
Zulu
Beadwork : Color picture of a young woman draped in beadwork. Brief
information, including that “Zulu beadwork is culturally regulated, so that
one’s status may be readily determined…”
Zulu
Beadwork : Some examples are shown
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