What does Zulu beads signify?

What does Zulu beads signify?

Zulu beads were historically used as a language between men and women, to express their feelings, relationship status, or to convey a message on the appropriate behaviour expected from the opposite sex. Two triangles joined at the points in an hourglass shape represent a married man.

What does the Zulu attire signify?

Zulu women and girls Women who had a traditional Zulu wedding may wear a special wide hat called “isicholo” as a status symbol. “Ibhayi” is the cloak or shawl worn around the shoulders as a sign of respect to the in-laws. Married women also wear necklaces called “ureyisi” and cow-hide skirts called “isidwaba.”

What does a bead symbolize?

Beads, whether sewn on apparel or worn on strings, have symbolic meanings that are far removed from the simplistic empiricism of the Western anthropologist. They, or pendants, may for instance be protective, warding off evil spirits or spells, or they can be good luck charms.

Which Colour of beads represents fertility in Zulu culture?

Yellow and blue are often used together. Yellow bead necklaces are hung in gardens or worn by those tending to the crops. Yellow is popular among the Zulu and represents wealth, gardens and fertility.

What is unique about the Zulu culture?

Zulu beliefs are formed around the presence of ancestral spirits, known as amadlozi and abaphansi. Ancestors’ presence comes in the form of dreams, sickness and snakes. Opportune times to communicate with ancestors are during birth, puberty, marriage and death. Ancestors are implored through offerings and sacrifices.

What is Umemulo in Zulu culture?

Umemulo is a traditional Zulu coming of age ceremony for women. This ritual is usually done for females at the age of 21, but this varies and depends on circumstances.

What does a blue bead symbolize?

Various tribes saw the blue beads as a symbol for water, clouds, life, and lightning, and occasionally referred to them as a piece of the sky. Some even thought the color blue was the most sacred color of all and used it to honor their gods.

What makes the Zulu culture unique?

What do we learn from Zulu culture?

As in any ancient culture, the Zulu culture is also based on spirituality and the power of ancestors. They are remembered throughout the passage of life – at birth, puberty, marriage and death. The Zulus have several rituals that pay homage to the soul of the departed and invoke their blessings.

How do you show respect in Zulu culture?

The Importance of Elders and Ancestors In contemporary KwaZulu-Natal, married Zulu women commonly wear elaborately beaded capes as a sign of respect to both the ancestors and their husbands’ families. These capes vary significantly in style from one region to another.

What are the meanings of the colors in Zulu beads?

Though there is a code to color beads with specific meanings, there also are varying meanings with subtler versions of colors and color patterns. Again, there are two meanings to colors, a positive and a negative. Zulu Bead Jewelry Positive Meanings of Colors. green – contentment, bliss; grass, cattle, earth. blue – faithfulness; the sky or sea.

Why did the Zulus stop wearing beadwork?

They valued beadwork as the traditional material by which they could be identified as the Zulus. However, societies and communities become acculturated, for example, western civilization brought its own culture in South Africa which caused a decline in the wearing of beadwork by the Zulus, Xhosa

Who are the Zulu people and what do they do?

Zulu people are a fierce ethnic tribe from Southern Africa and have been renowned for their artistic beadwork and colourful craftsmanship.

How does the symbolism of beadwork work work?

Beadwork symbolism is encoded within a limited number of colours and geometric figures. Colour symbols have alternative values but those assigned to geometric figures are constant. Values assigned to colours are in groups of positive and negative alternatives, excepting white, which has no negative connotation.