A Zulu Engagement ‘Ring’

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the different stages involved in a Zulu wedding, and with today being Valentines Day it seemed only appropriate that we should continue our theme of love, and look at something that happens right at the beginning of a relationship between a Zulu boy and girl – the exchange … Read more

Isicathamiya: A Brief History

There’s some debate about the origins of isicathamiya, although the general consensus seems to be that this Zulu style of performance was heavily influenced by the American ragtime troupes that toured South Africa in the mid-to-late 1800s. However isicathamiya, characterised by a cappella singing and tightly-choreographed dance moves, only really gained momentum in South Africa in the … Read more

The Africa Craft Trust

With life moving faster and faster, and the majority of the items we buy today being mass produced, machine-made products, there’s a growing movement that’s pushing in the other direction – for handmade, artisanal items that reflect the care and skills used to make them – skills possessed by men and women used to making … Read more

Celebrating 200 Years of the Zulu Nation

While the rest of the country celebrated Heritage Day on Saturday, those who consider themselves part of the Zulu nation commemorated their second centenary on the day that was previously referred to as Umkhosi WeLembe, or King Shaka Day. With huge numbers of Shembe followers dressed in all white, and others wearing traditional attire and wielding shields made from … Read more