The Africa Insight with DAVID

Southern Ndebele, South Africa
Population ~1,100,000

The Southern Ndebele tribe is found in South Africa’s north-eastern provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, sharing some language with the Zulu. They have unique culture and beliefs, however, that sets them apart from other African ethnic groups.

The Ndebele believe that illness is caused by spells or curses, an external force inflicted on a person. To cure illness a sangoma (a type of traditional healer) needs to do battle with these forces using traditional herbal medicines and bone throwing. Whilst these shamanistic traditions are interesting, what truly makes the Southern Ndeble unique is their artistic style. Not just clothes and bodily adornments, but homes too are decorated in striking geometric patterns filled in with colour.

While traditional designs made use of earthy colours, modern taste has evolved to a more vibrant and vivid palette. One Southern Ndebele artist, Esther Mahlangu , is now internationally renowned, having designed British Airways plane tail art and a BMW art car, putting her in the company of David Hockney and Andy Warhol.