African Heritage Series

South Africa is proud of a vibrant artistic tradition. Some of these artistic practices date back to pre-colonial times, for instance the production of household goods, such as clay pots, grass baskets and gourd vessels.

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South Africa is proud of an exceptionally vibrant artistic tradition. Some of these artistic practices date back to pre-colonial times, for instance the production of household goods, such as clay pots, grass baskets and gourd vessels. In general these crafts, both old and new, are practised by women living in rural areas, who need to generate income to raise their families. Today clay pots, grass baskets and other items are produced both for the tourist market and for domestic use, and in this way local artistic traditions have been revitalized. Right around the world, people mark transitions, from birth to death, through celebrations and ceremonies. In South Africa, many ceremonies are aimed at securing the spiritual well-being of the individual and of the community. Until the late 18th century all chiefdoms in southern Africa observed initiation practices to prepare young men and women for their roles in adult society. The way that people dress and adorn themselves may simply be following the dictates of fashion, but it is frequently a means of giving expression to particular social, political or religious values.
Specific kinds of dress or the use of certain types of ornamentation are prescribed by ritual or by convention, including deeply entrenced gender relations. Thus clothing and other adornment usually underline the wearer~s status and identity. A wide range of southern African peoples, whose clothing combines traditional and Western elements, is represented in this book. Rural people throughout southern Africa continue to build their houses in much the same fashion as their forefathers did for generations before them. Thatched Zulu beehive huts may still be seen scattered around the KwaZulu-Natal countryside, while the Tsonge people decorate their homesteads with a variety of clays, producing beautiful patterns in rich autumnal shades. The Tswana and South Sotho people also decorate their homes and the Ndebele people paint their homesteads with the highly distinctive geometric designs for which they have become famous world-wide.