| African beadwork is a strong part of the Zulu | | | | symbols. They were used to show whether a girl |
| tradition and the tradition of many other African | | | | was single, engaged to be married or a new |
| tribes. Trade in beads began hundreds of years | | | | mother. |
| ago, probably even before the days of Henry | | | | African Beadwork Today |
| Francis Fynn - the first European settler to settle | | | | Today in Africa you will still often see Zulu people |
| in Natal in 1824. These beads came to be highly | | | | and other African tribes involved in creating |
| valued by the Zulu tribes who then started to add | | | | beautiful crafted pieces using beads. These |
| them to many different items and even weaved | | | | beaded items can include useful items such as |
| into them messages which were then sent to | | | | beaded bowls or more decorative items that are |
| friends and lovers. | | | | often highly prized in other nations. You will see |
| The History of Zulu Beadwork | | | | people in South Africa sitting on the side of busy |
| Beads were probably first traded in Africa during | | | | roads trying to sell these crafts to those that |
| the time of the Egyptians, Sumerians and | | | | drive by and they may even sit there |
| Chaldeans about three thousand years ago. Since | | | | hand-crafting each piece while they wait for |
| the Zulu people could not make these themselves | | | | customers. |
| they came to value them highly and used them | | | | Beading is a strong part of the African heritage |
| to craft many different items and also as a | | | | and in traditional Zulu culture is used not only to |
| means of communication. | | | | create useful or decorative items but also as a |
| Beaded Communication and Symbolism | | | | means of communication. What makes these so |
| The patterns and colours used to create Zulu | | | | special is the fact that these people will handcraft |
| beadwork contained specific messages and | | | | each item and so each is unique. |