African Beadwork

African Beadwork

Ostrich-shells, bone and wood were common materials used to make beadwork, which was a popular form of accessory to many eastern and south African citizens. Beads with colour came from Europe in the 19^th century and many of them were used to make beautiful decorations, which had an important participation in the social lives of the African tribes.

The way the jewellery is worn and its colour combination carries sentimental meaning. Ornaments are made to display status and life stages such as ‘love, marriage, birth of a child and so on.’ For example, females write ‘love messages’ to males by beading in specific patterns. The main forms of beading consist of squares, diamonds, lines and geometrical shapes and patterns. Beads are wrapped around ‘thick fiber cords’ and arranged on circular hoop-like forms of necklaces worn by married women. If the woman were a widow, the colours of the necklace would differ, the colour black would be predominant in the design.

Samburu women

Samburu men

In Kenya, the samburu people wear a lot of adornment around their necks and their shoulders to display social status with the help of beading. The adornment pieces are often made from a large number of tiny, coloured glass beads. From these beads, it is possible to understand that the wearer is: young, a warrior, elderly, a priest, a virgin, available for marriage, a parent, mother of a warrior, ect. The collars are huge, and detailed with many colours, creating different patterns. They bring attention to the face and make the neck look longer. These women take this adornment as seriously as we take clothing, without it they are ‘naked’.

Ndebele people have an interesting ‘’fertility doll’’. The fertility doll is made and given to a woman by her mother or grandmother on the day she marries. It is also filled with beadwork. The purpose of this doll is to bless her with healthy children. The doll is considered to be bad luck if it is not given to someone else or destroyed after the third child is born.

Local fashion: Beads in the ethnic jewellery of Africa. 2013 [ONLINE] Available at: http://local-moda.blogspot.com/2012/12/beads-in-ethnic-jewelry-of-africa.html