Zululand Nativity
Kwa Zigi Gimli
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Metallic beads, burlap, cotton, wood
2009, 2012
Today most Zulu people consider themselves to be Christian, but many blend their Christian beliefs with traditional African beliefs and rituals. The Zulu women of Kwa Zigi Gimli, a self-help group in northern Kwa Zulu-Natal, specialize in making beaded dolls, including fertility dolls and Sangoma (healer) dolls. Recently they have expanded their art form to include dolls representing figures from the Nativity story: Maria (Mary), Josefa (Joseph), and the baby Jesu (Jesus). This set includes an angel, a zebra, a giraffe, and a manger decorated with woodburning.