The Rich Tradition Of African Beadwork

African beadwork crafts has been around for hundreds of years and is rich in cultural and personal meaning. Since the introduction of beads into Africa hundreds of years ago, as a means of trade, a vast array of handcrafted custom beadwork has been created. Examples of this native beadwork include beaded bands that adorn the chest of men and women, ornamental necklaces, beaded aprons, and neck rings.

In Cameroon, a handcrafted beadwork doll is rich in symbolism. When a Fali man becomes engaged, he constructs a doll of wood and decorates it with hair, handcrafted beadwork and other objects. This doll is then given to his fianc? to be carried on her back in a baby carrier. The doll symbolizes the marriage commitment and the hopes of a child. The man creates the African beadwork doll in the gender he desires for his first child. His betrothed carries the doll on her back until the anticipated child arrives.

The Zulu, the largest tribe in Southern Africa, design handcrafted beadwork from small brightly colored beads. These beads were introduced into the area through Portuguese trading posts along the Indian Ocean. So valued were glass beads, as an item of exchange, that Dingiswayo, the first to forge the Zulu people into one cohesive tribe in the early nineteenth century, claimed their trade as his personal privilege.

The introduction of glass beads into Southern Africa has had an impact on their traditional clothing. Zulu beadwork is not only beautiful and intricate, it is also used to convey personal information. By wearing particular items of native beadwork clothing, such as skirted aprons, hats and cloaks, others can determine a Zulu’s marital status.

Unmarried women are clothed in leather skirts or girdles and married women wear beaded aprons over their skirts. Married women also wear a traditional hat with bands of Zulu beadwork incorporated into the crown and base. Men and unmarried women are often viewed wearing beaded bands across their chests. For adornment, beautifully crafted neck rings are made by using long tubes of cotton or tightly coiled lengths of grass to support this native beadwork.

In Zulu beadwork, colored beads have been assigned certain attributes or meanings. For example, blue conveys loneliness, green stands for grass, and white portrays purity. Because colored beads have such specific meaning, they are used to carry messages among the Zulu women and young teenagers. These messages are known as love letters, or “ucu”. By wearing certain colored African beadwork, beautiful silent messages are conveyed regarding the state of a romance. Wearing blue beads mean “I will wait for you.” White beads stand for a heart that is pure with the message, “my heart is clean and I am waiting for you.” And green beads convey, “I will wait for you until I’m as thin as a blade of grass.”

Within the last one hundred years, African beadwork has been greatly influenced by westernization and tourism. Many young African men and women are trading in their traditional native clothing in favor of western fashions. With the introduction of plastic beads, the customary glass and porcelain beads are rarely used. Native beadwork is often crafted primarily to sell to tourists and has lost much of its traditional meaning, among many African tribes. With a decrease in the desire for highly skilled, crafted beadwork, this art form may be lost to future generations.

By Crafts Editor

Beadwork is a wonderful pastime that many people overlook for more "glamorous" hobbies. That is a shame, as nothing could be more glamorous than creating wonderful works of art that you can wear, give as gifts, or sell for extra income. Beadwork is a hobby that requires skill and patience. Beyond that, it can be a lot of fun! If you’re interested in joining the millions of people worldwide who enjoy the hobby of beadwork, there are a few places online that can help you out. This link is a good starting place: The Complete Bead Guide

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Bead & Button Magazine – Bead & Button Magazine is dedicated to helping all bead and button enthusiasts with creative projects and providing collectible information. Includes easy to follow steps on how to make good bead-button combination. Also, enclosed are different samples to pattern your ideas.

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