- Title
- Inkciyo yentombi
- Description
- The girdle worn by a maiden is a remarkable testament to tradition and familial bonds, embodying both ornate beauty and profound symbolism. This exquisite garment features an intricately crafted apron adorned with a flat bead strip and three rows of delicate bead fringes, creating a mesmerising tapestry of colour and texture. Supported by two rows of brass washers threaded on goat skin thongs, each element of this girdle carries its own significance, echoing the wisdom and heritage of generations past. The tradition of passing down these brass washers from grandmother to favourite granddaughter, typically during puberty, adds a deeply personal touch to the garment, symbolising the continuation of familial legacy and the transmission of ancestral knowledge. As a young woman dons this girdle, she steps into her role within the community with grace and reverence, embracing the journey from adolescence to womanhood. Throughout her life, from the bloom of youth until the stage of menopause, the girdle remains a cherished symbol of her connection to her lineage and the enduring strength of familial ties.
- Description
- Purchased from Mrs Joan Broster
- Description
- Forms part of: Walter Sisulu University Beadwork Collection
- Date
- 1954-07-01, 2024-10-22
- Subject
- Beaded girdle designed for senior teenage girls of AbaThembu
- Subject
- Girdle.
- Type
- Personal adornment
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/11260/11378
- Identifier
- vital:75961
- Format
- image/jpeg, 1 digital, JPG file, color
- Language
- English
- Relation
- Beadwork Brass washers, cloth, glass beads and pearls and goat skin Original is in good condition Walter Sisulu University
- Rights
- For research purposes only. Physical item and JPG file is available on request for research purposes via zmadyibi@wsu.ac.za, Walter Sisulu University
- Hits: 24
- Visitors: 11
- Downloads: 1
Collections
WSU Beadwork Collection
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | Inkciyo yentombi (2).JPG | 3 MB | JPEG Image | View Details |