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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: June 25 , 2003
Latest Update: June 25, 2003
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Backup of Eloquent Elegance
By Stan Schoeman, though attributed to Hilgard S. Schoeman
SOURCE: The Zulu Nation of South Africa
Copyright: Source Copyright.
Included here under Fair Use Doctrine for teaching purposes.

"In the World Wide Web page that you are about to view, Hilgard S. Schoeman, a nationally recognized expert, explains the often misinterpreted issues surrounding an art form that has become increasingly commercialized. He writes as follows:

"Traditional Zulu beadwork, arguably one of the most singular examples of this craft, was at one time far more than a merely decorative art of weaving small glass beads into aesthetically pleasing patterns. First-hand empirical research has shown that these designs were a surprisingly articulate vehicle of communication that helped to regulate behaviour between individuals of opposite gender. . . ."

Beadwork in the ZULU cultural tradition