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Red panel with white letters (no necklace)
Beaded panel (ithemba)
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Beaded panel (ithemba)

Artist Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu (Zulu, South African)
Date1850-1968
Place of originSouth Africa
MediumGlass beads
ClassificationsClothing and accessories
Credit LineMuseum purchase, funds provided by Dr. Frank Jolles
Object number2007.27.6
Collections
Visual DescriptionRed panel with white letters (no necklace)
Blue panel with white letters, white necklace, braided; message on panel: HAIAIA Shenge.
Beaded Panel (ithemba)
Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu
1850-1968
Orange panel with white letters, long chain-style necklace made of beads; message: "SIKHUZA USUTHU MAZULU"; not easily translated literally, expresses joy and love, "Hurrah, I like you".
Beaded Panel (ithemba)
Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu
1850-1968
Dark blue panel with white letters; "blackboard" style beaded panel made by a fiancée to send messages to her future husband; message: Emhlabeni KUSO SIZINI MASINGABA Naki Abantu", translated means "on the earth, it is a place of sorrow don't pay attention to other people" See Jolles 2006, p. 129. for translation.
Beaded Panel (ithemba)
Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu
1850-1968
Represents new use of dark background for traditional love letter theme; literacy is variable, based on blackboards used in schools but many dark colors used with white or other color lettering
Beaded panel (ithemba)
Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu
1850-1968
Yellow panel with orange lettering; message: DELA NAZALA MAME. A mother gives this to her son to express her joy, translates to: "It is a good thing that your mother gave birth to you, I am glad of your existence."
Beaded Panel (ithemba)
Mrs. Kangezile MaMajoli Ndlovu
1850-1968
A necklace featuring a twisted red and white strap. The rectangular white beaded panel displaying two rows of colorful, stylized letters and small brass cones at its top corners.
Beaded Panel (isebebe)
Zandile Ma Ndlovu Dube
1969
White rectangular panel with blue letters; braided necklace of white with blue flecked beads; message: Jabula Wethu, literal translation: "Be happy our", or "You are happy because I love you"
Beaded panel (isibebe)
Zandile Ma Ndlovu Dube
1969
White panel with multi-colored letters, blue-green-orange and orange braided necklace; message: literal, "Happy friend"; transliteration, exposition "Be happy, my friend, we are going to get married," boy's announcement to his friends that difficulties are overcome and he is about to marry.
Beaded Panel (isibebe)
Zandile Ma Ndlovu Dube
1969
White panel with orange, blue, green letters; green braided necklace; text reads "YAZI MINA", literally "Know me"; girl gives this to a boy to say "love me only." Knots at the end symbolize clasping hands
Beaded panel (isibebe)
Zandile Ma Ndlovu Dube
undated
Beaded Panel (isebebe)
Beaded Panel (isebebe)
Bangeleni (MaMkize) Hlongwa, e Mamulu Chief Cele
1940s
White panel with blue, orange, green and pink letters; white braided necklace; message: THUIA UTHUYAZI
Beaded panel (isebebe)
Zulu Artist
undated
White panel with geometric motifs - diamond, slanted lines; red, green, yellow, blue and black beads, yellow braided necklace.
Beaded panel (ithemba)
Zulu Artist
undated

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