Sotho Thethana Apron

Titana Apron - Lesotho

Basotho Apron

Dr. David Riep confirms the thethana was worn by young Basotho girls from the age of 4 or 5, until their entry into adulthood. These beautiful pieces functioned as an undergarment, and were sometimes worn under a leather back-skirt.

Click either Thumbnail for a Detailed Enlargement

 

The fringe is made from the leaves of the gazenia plant, the fibers of which are painstakingly stripped by hand, and braided into small strands. The knotting of each strand helps keep the various fibers together, and also creates a striking visual design in the overall piece.

 

 

     

                        Duggan-Cronnen - Before 1933                                                     Photographer Unknown

 

The details present on all thethanas vary according to clan affiliation, and may include the addition of ochre, giving the fibers a beautiful red hue.

 

 

 

 

Historically, a girl's thethana was made by a female relative, most often by her mother or grandmother. Due to the method of construction, a single piece could take anywhere from 12 to 18 months to complete.

 

Click any Thumbnail for a Detailed Enlargement

 

As the young girl progressed in age and status, she would be given new garments, which increased in length, until at last she took on the adornment of an adult in Basotho society.

 

 

 

 

Often, the most ornate thethanas were worn as part of an elaborate ensemble by newly initiated Basotho women. Such examples, like the image shown here, included intricately beaded panels, the colors and patterns of which often coincided with other pieces of adornment completing the outfit.

 

*

 

 

Mfengu Costumes

Ama-Fengu

Fingo Beaded Dress

Ezakwantu - Things from the House of the People - Pg. 4

The Mfengu are Nguni people, mostly of Bhele, Hlubi and Zizi origin, who fled during the early 19th century upheavals in Natal - known as the Mfecane - Lifaqane or Difaqane. They arrived in what is today the Eastern Cape - where they were suppressed by local Xhosa and Thembu chiefs - working as domestic slaves. Their tribal name Ama-Fengu, Fingo or Mfengu,  means 'The Wanderers'  or 'Foreigners'. Mfengu speak Xhosa, but do not consider themselves Xhosa. Their beaded tribal dress was adapted from the Xhosa, but it remained with distinguishing factors. Their carved staffs are straight - this totally unlike their Gcaleka / Xhosa masters. Throughout the region, a person's home area, ethnic sub group, age, marital status and sometimes the amount of children one had, could all be communicated through items of dress.

Mlanjeni's War - Eighth Frontier War - Circa 1851

In 1835 the Mfengu made representations to the Cape Colony government for land. Sir Benjamin d'Urban permitted them to settle on the banks of the Great Fish River - 'at Xhosa expense'. This location created a buffer zone for the British to ward off further Xhosa invasions of the Cape Colony. Mfengu fought for the British in the Frontier Wars or  'Kaffer Wars' of 1835, 1846 and again between 1851 and  1853.

Mfengu Woman's Skirt - Fingo Skirt

Umbhaco - Imibhaco

Mfengu women adopted Xhosa styled dress, who themselves had adopted attire from Victorian fashion. Their dresses or skirts were called Umbhaco or Imibhaco. The cotton sheeting fabric itself is called ibayi.

Barbara Tyrrell - Mfengu (Fingo) Woman - Man - Circa 1948

These then blankets were colored with red ochre, yielding a rich reddish brown fabric that was then cut and sewn into three sections to form the skirt. They were then embroidered, braded and beaded. When worn with other garments and accessories, a vivid display of adornment was shown.

Our example uses 1000's and 1000's and 1000's of beads as decoration.

 Click any image to enlarge.

 

Beaded skirts were worn together with shoulder wraps or beaded blankets.

 

 

Mfengu Woman's Blanket - Fingo Blanket

 

Amabhayi - Ibhayi

 

 

 

 

Mfengu blankets were called Amabhayi or Ibhayi. The blanket depicted above is to our knowledge, the most outstanding example on offer today. It is ornately decorated mother-of-pearl buttons - glass beads and embroidery. Ibhayi were worn around the shoulders as body wraps and often used to cover children. When a person wore such a decorated example, they sent out a clear message notifying others of wealth and status.

 

 Click either image to enlarge.

 

The shell buttons are Mother of Pearl (MOP) and often date back to 1900 - in that they are reused again and again. Most of these were made from the great green turban snail Turbo Marmoratus - of the  Turbinidae family. Upwards to 1000 buttons were used to decorate this blanket, together with  many 1000's of glass beads.
 

 

 

Mfengu Woman's Turban - Fingo Turban

 

Iqhiya - Ibhayi

 

 

 

 

This turban is called an Iqhiya or Ibhayi. It forms the body of Mfengu headdresses. These were worn to complement a woman's outfit. Sometimes a colourful Santulo is attached, to add volume to the headdress. Barbara Tyrrell's watercolour (below right) shows an Mfengu nursing mother with such a Turban.

 

 

     

 

                                 Mfengu Headdress                                               Barbara Tyrrell - Mfengu (Fingo) Woman

 

 

 Click either image to enlarge.

 

Countless hours are spent embroidering three sides of the dark Melton cloth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mfengu - Xhosa Beaded Headband

 

'amadiliza entloko'

 

 

 

 

Large headbands were worn by young men of the Fingo and Xhosa groups living around East London.

 

 

 

The Magic World of the Xhosa - Aubrey Elliott - Pg 39

 

Young men's headbands were called amadiliza entloko.

 

 

 

Click either thumb to enlarge image.

 

 

 

 

Mfengu Beaded Front Apron - Fingo Apron

 

Inkciyo

 

 

Click this thumb to enlarge the apron.

 

This apron called an inkciyo, was collected amongst the Mfengu people. It is decorated with glass beads in traditional Fingo color, brass rings - washers and leather straps. Inkciyo translates as underpants.

 

 

           

 

Field Images of Thembu and Xhosa related Aprons - First half 20th Century

 

 

 

Mfengu Boys Cap - Fingo Hat

 

 

 

 

Young Mfengu boys sometimes wore beaded 'flat caps'. Few examples were as heavily beaded as this.

 

 

 Click thumbs to enlarge pictures.

 

The young men who wore them were not yet 'men', as they had yet to undergo or experience Abakwetha. Abakwetha is a long and detailed circumcision ritual that passed a boy into manhood.

 

 

 

 

Aubrey Elliot published the picture (above right), in his long out of print book entitled; The Magic World of the Xhosa.

 

 

Mfengu Mans Tobacco Bag

 

Ingxowa Bokwe

 

 

         

 

The Magic World of the Xhosa - Page 34 - Aubrey Elliot

 

Large tobacco bags worn by males are called Ingxowa Bokwe. Aubrey Elliot wrote in his book The Magic World of the Xhosa; The man’s bag is quite different and more masculine. It is made from a wild domestic animal’s skin. The particular skin used, to some extent, owes its popularity to the fashion in a clan in the same way as does the pattern by which it is made up. In the Ncera area, near Kidd’s beach where I lived as a child, the popular bag was a tubular one made of monkey skin. In other areas goat skins are used for this purpose.

 

 

 

 

Our male tobacco bag was made from a reversed goat hide .

 

 

 

 

These large tobacco bags were worn by men to carry home grown leaf tobacco and other items, but their main intent was to add to the wearers adornment and prestige.  

 

 

                          

 

                    Annals of the South African Museum Volume 58  March 1988 Part 4                       Ezakwantu - Beadwork from the Eastern Cape

                                             The Material Culture of the Cape Nguni                                                                          Fig 58 - Page 105

                                Part 4 Personal & General by E.M.Shaw & N.J.Warmelo

 

 

 

 

This example is the most highly decorated specimen known to us. The bag  is overloaded with beadwork, bells, coins and thimbles, all adding sound and visual impact. The article was made to send a powerful statement to onlookers.

 

 

 

The tail of the backpack heavily beaded on both sides.

 

*

 

Thembu Leather Purses

Xhosa - Mfengu Purses

Thembu leather purses were worn by women from the hip and used to contain paper money. 

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

 

The openings were so small that sometimes a knife or razor edge had to be used to extract the note. This tight construction was intended to help prevent theft of the notes.

 

 

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

.

 

 

Men who worked in the mines or cities gave these to their wives as gifts on their return home. As a result, these highly prized objects of adornment displayed status.

 

 

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

 

The Thembu - Xhosa and Mfengu all owned related leather purses. Our examples are Thembu. Depending on who you ask - singular or plural - they were called Isipaji - Izipaji - Imphuthamphutha and Isipaji-saseMaiMai

 

*

 

Muwhira Costume

North Sotho - Ba Roka - Lobedu - Venda

\

This rare costume represents the supernatural Muwhira, known as the recruiter for the Sungwi initiation school for girls. He is both deaf and dumb. North Sotho peoples, including the Ba Roka, Venda and Lobedu, all know Muwhira. The costume is made of reeds. This  example was collected from North Sotho Ba Roka people living nearby the Lobedu. Few examples are known, in that traditionally Muwhira was burned at the end of Sungwi.

                                Rain-Queens and Python Dance                                              Annals of the South African Museum

                                                       Plate 18                                                                                Vol 94 Part 3 Page 096

The Lobedu roof finial above left, represents Muhwera.

The Lobedu call the initiates Vyali and the initiation school itself the Vuhwera.  A vuhwera  on "national level" is rare. Krige recorded the Muhwera dancing above right in 1938 and reports that next important event took place in 1974. He noted that there had been a deterioration of weaving skills and that the famous magôgôbya figure did not appear. The reason given was that nobody knew how to make the costumes.

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

 

 

This costume includes a custom made hanging mount is one of only 4 known in private collections.

 

*

 

Bhaca - Baca - Front Apron

Bhaca Skirt - Circa 1950

Barbara Tyrrell - Tribal Peoples of Southern Africa

The Bhaca or AmaBhaca fled from Natal during the Mfecane - Lifaqane or Difaqane. The name amaBhaca stems from 'ukubhaca', which means fleeing. Before fleeing, the Bhaca won a battle against Shaka's army at iNtaba yeZintsizwa. They live in Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape, but their culture is uniquely different to other tribal groups. Their dress remains a mixture of original Bhaca - Pondo and Zulu.

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

 

Bhaca married woman were easily recognized by their unusual and striking dress. Our Bhaca beaded skirt has a base of highly worn goat hide, upon which is attached a beaded half centered black cotton fabric. The skirt was worn with the beadwork forward as shown in the Barbara Tyrrell drawing and painting above, as well as the photographs below.

 

 

         

 

            Bhaca - Natal - Barbara Tyrrell                                             Bhaca - Transkei

 

 

Bhaca skirts are no longer to be found in the villages of the Eastern Cape or Natal and as such, this may be the first and last we can offer. It is a rare and high quality example from a lost tradition.

 

 

 

Bhaca Diviners - Circa 1930

 

    *

 

Ntwane Back Apron - Skirt

'Ntepa'

Married Ntwane women wearing beaded back skirts called Ntepa at a local celebration.

This is a rarely seen, fine quality example of an Ntwane woman's leather beaded back skirt.

The chevron pattern running along the upper edge confirms the Ba Ntwane kinship to the Bechwana.

*

Sukuma Beaded Skirt – Tanzania

Circa 1950

These leather skirts were worn by young girls and contain 100's of thin leather strips.

A fine and rare example with scattered bead decoration overall.

    *

Shoowa Cloth - Kuba Fabrics

Velours du Kasai

Shoowa Raffia Fabrics

Example A

Kuba cloth or Kuba Shoowa fabric is made by the Shoowa clan of the Kuba and related peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - formerly Zaire.

 The weaving was traditionally done by men on a loom.    Photo Zagourski

The fabric was made from a very fine fibre found inside young palm trees leafs. Leafs were dried in the sun, then torn into pieces approximately 2 mm wide which we call raffia. The fine leaf fibres were then woven on a loom.

Example B

 In earlier times, cloths were used as currency or offered as gifts. Value was determined by the complexity of the work undertaken. Long cloths as this one on offer, are heavy and were highly prized.  Individual items such as these would take several months, or even a year to produce.

Woman were responsible for decorating the fabrics with Shoowa design.

The embroidery of the woven fabrics was reserved for women - women who ideally were pregnant.

Kuba Scarification

Shoowa design was created spontaneously - but followed the body scarification patterns of the people.

In addition to small cloths used as currencies, long wraps up to eight meters were worn around the waist by both men and women.  The men called their Mapel and the women Ntshak.

Example C

Our examples A - B and C were worn in a like fashion as above and below. The two red examples worn by men called Mapel - were collected over 20 years ago.

                                       Kuba Scarification                                              By Norman Hardy

Kuba and related peoples adorned their body with scarification. Shoowa fabric patterns were often replicated.

The BEST Shoowa EVER!

This magnificent example was assembled from old Shoowa currency fabrics of different makers and vintage.

Click this thumbnail for an enlargement.

                                              Father Michael Perry 2009                      Friar Michael Perry 1983

This fabric came to the attention of  Father Michael Perry OFM in the 1980's, who is currently the Vicar General of the worldwide Order of Friars Minor. At the time Friar Michael Perry was a priest stationed in Kolwezi - Zaire (DRC) and had great interest in people. We have never encountered a more complicated - extraordinary example.

*

Cameroon Feathered Costume

Bamileke - Cameroon

Mabu - The Masquerader

This double sided feathered costume was worn by 'Mabu', a Bamileke masquerader from Cameroon. 

 Click either image to enlarge.

 

This fabulous object was re-discovered in Paris. The inner fiber base suggests circa 1900 origin.

 

 

The Bamileke tribe was originally from an area to the north known as Mbam. In the 17th century, traders moved southward and today reside in the grasslands of western Cameroon. Much of the art produced by the Bamileke is associated with royal ceremonies.

 

 

This Mabu dancer would have worn a wooden mask around the netted face cover.

 

Bamileke masqueraders may appear at royal festivals, but they are normally associated with various men's societies, most of which are linked to the palace and the King. One such society is the Kwifo, which means 'night'. The Kwifo society has a masquerader called Mabu, who acts as a spokesman and representative too the community. It ushers the members of the Kwifo through the village, alerting the people of the approach of the group, and compels them to behave appropriately. In earlier times, Mabu wore a feathered costume as on offer.

 

 Click thumbnails for different views.

.

 

The costume has become a fantastic textural sculpture and is useful as a room screen.

 

 

*