Over time the Ixtsonga, which is the traditional wear of the Tsonga people, has transformed in every way; from colour to prints, design and style. These Southern African people are known for their bright multi coloured attire. Some of their popular prints include the xitsonga ixibelani, Motjeka, miceka. Women mostly adorn these attires with bangles….
These are some quick facts about the Tsonga people. I hope you get to learn something you can take home with you. The name “Tsonga” is the root of Xitsonga (culture, language or ways of the Tsonga). Someone from Tsonga is called Mutsonga. The indigenous people of Tsonga are generally referred to as Vatsonga. In…
The Ashanti people began to print Adinkra symbols on cloth on the 19th century. They originally got the symbols from the cloth of the defeated king of Gyaman Kingdom in present day Côte d’Ivoire. When the Ashantis brought him down to Kumasi (present day Ghana), this was the cloth he wore. At that time…
There are two methods the Ashantis use in printing the Adinkra symbols on cloth; the block-stamp technique, and the screen-printing. The Adinkra cloth was originally printed from hand carverd stamps from calabash or gourd. The dye or ink for printing is derived from the bark of the Badie tree and the roots of the kuntunkuni tree. …
Adinkra was the name of a 19th century King of Gyaman kingdom, Nana Kofi Adinkra (now in modern day Côte d’Ivoire). Adinkra was defeated and captured by the Ashantis for copying their “Golden Stool” which was a symbol of “absolute power and tribal cohesion”. As King Nana Adinkra was been carried off to the home…
The shweshwe fabric is originally stiff, with a distinct smell. It is recommended to always wash the fabric before use. This gets rid of the stiffness and makes it soft to use. The fabric also shrinks a bit after washing. Photo-credit:
Originally, young girls would wear narrow strips of wenda covering the pelvic region (Maredo) and decorate themselves with necklaces and bracelets made from grass (Vhukunda). Married some wear aprons made from sheepskin (Gwana). Males wear Tsindi, a triangular piece of animal skin used to cover the groin area, all the way to the back. These…
A married woman wears the”ijogolo”, a five-finger shaped apron, after the birth of her first child. She also wears a blanket she wraps around her shoulders called “Nguba”. This blanket is decorated with beads that are milestones to significant events in her life. She also wears a headgear as a sign of respect shown to…
