Continuities and changes in Ndebele beadwork: c.1883 to the present
Date
2014-05-14
Authors
Levy, Diane
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Abstract
This dissertation is a study of Ndebele beadwork in terns of
continuities and changes in types, styles and functions. In
order to explore these concerns, it is relevant to consider
the chancing circumstances of the beadwork and, accordingly,
both historical and contemporary contexts are discussed. To
inform on these themes even further, secondary sources of
photographic documentation are examined to provide additional,
or to confirm existing information on the art.
The Introduction provides a critical analysis of the literature
on the beadwork. This literature is discussed in a
broad chronology, from the 1920s to the present, considering
different socio-political contexts which have influenced
the research. In addition to identifying the literature
which is useful for an understanding of the beadwork, gaps
in the information and methodological weaknesses are
defined. These gaps provide pointers for issues and approaches
which are adopted in the following chapters. In
the course of the Introduction, it becomes apparent that
most of the literature has been structured within historical
methodologies, resulting in many complex and subtle
areas of change being ignored. The Introduction thus
defines more open-ended methodologies which are employed in
the dissertation. These involve approaching the beadwork
from previously unexplored perspectives, including the use
of photographic documentation as a potentially rich source
of information; an exploration of the relationship between
the beadwork and Ndebele history; and the effects of the
contemporary commercial markets on the production and functions
of the beadwork.
In Chapter One, a detailed analysis of photographic documentation
of the Ndebele is made. This involves research o n
the earliest known documentation by Alfred Martin Duggan-
Cronin, dating to 1923 and 1933. This body of work has not
been investigated thoroughly in the existing literature, and
although highly problematic, it is seen to provide useful
visual information on early beadwork. Furthermore, it invites
comparison with examples of old and recently made
beadwork seen in galleries, shops and private collections.
The identification of the types of beadwork seen in these
phonographs Is extended into a discussion of the social''
functions of these items. Existing knowledge relating to
such functions, as found in the literature, is augmented and
extended by information obtained through fieldwork and
through studying many beadwork artefacts. In order to identify
continuities and changes in the types and styles of the
beadwork, more recent photographic documentation is
analysed. Reference is made to the images of Constance
Stuart Larrabee, who photographed the Ndebele in the 1940s,
1960s and 1980s. Unfortunately, her work proved to be inaccessible,
and is thus highlighted as an important area for
future research. More detailed visual comparisons are made
between the work of Duggan-Cronin and that of Margaret
Courtney-Clarke, who documented the Ndebele in the 1980s.
Having identified the main types of beadwork and their social
functions. Chapter Two explores the possible origins of
the beadwork, providing historical context which explains
why there may have been a need for this art to develop.
Thus the oldest known beadwork is dated to the 1880s, relat
ing to the aftermath of the defeat of the Ndebele by the
Boers during the Mapoch War of 1883. The circumstances
which are described help to explain why the beadwork probably
became an important means for the women to express
their social status within the group, and furthermore, how
it came to communicate ethnic identity to outsiders. By extension,
this chapter also raises issues relating to the
historical role of women in Ndebele society.
An interpretation of the beadwork in an historical context
helps to explain why, and how, the social functions of the
art developed. This led to questioning to what extent these
functions are operative today, and concomitantly, the extent
to which 'traditional' types continue to be produced.
Chapter Three therefore explores the beadwork in a contemporary
context, focusing on the commercial market which has
become a major motivation in the production of this art.
The extent to which the market has determined changes in the
types and styles of the beadwork is addressed, and some of
the different kinds of markets, and the way they operate,
are defined. Shifts in the women's roles, in the light of
their participation in an economic sphere, are also con-
sidered.
This dissertation ends with a Conclusion, in which the main
features of the research, as discussed in the previous sections,
are summarised. Pertinent observations, resulting
from this study of Ndebele beadwork, are highlighted. A
number of questions are raised in considering the future of
the beadwork, in terms of its production and functions,
recognising that this art has always been, and will continue
to be, characterised by continuities and changes.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Arts, 1990.