Recreating classic Xhosa beads

At Homba Crafts, we embark on a journey to revive the timeless artistry of traditional beading styles. Our ancestors adorned themselves with exquisite beads, where each color and motif held profound meanings. These beads served as a cultural language, revealing one’s societal status, age, marital status, parental status, lobola (dowry), and more.

Xhosa beads, renowned for their elegance, prominently feature white, complemented by a spectrum of colors that signify various life stages and attributes. Turquoise blue represents youth, while navy and red signify adulthood. Pink and navy come together for those past middle age, yellow symbolizes fertility, and green embodies new life.

The intricate beadwork often incorporates beloved motifs such as stars, rivers, diamonds, quadrangles, chevrons, circles, and parallel lines. These patterns are not merely ornamental; they convey narratives and messages. For instance, a chevron may represent a hut, and a diamond might symbolize a child. However, the interpretation can vary, as each beadmaker brings their unique perspective and preferences to the art.

In our pursuit, we honor the cultural richness and storytelling tradition inherent in Xhosa beadwork, aspiring to recreate and celebrate these classic styles at Homba Crafts.