Notes

Reuben Ndwandwe (1943-2007) is a renowned South African artist, famous for his intricate and unique basket weaving. Ndwandwe was a founding member and the only male participant in the original Vukani Association initiated by the Swedish missionary couple, Kjell and Bertha Löfroth, who established the Vukani Association in an effort to assist women to generate income in the wake of a severe drought that had crippled the region in 1966 and 1967. ²

While Ndwandwe draws on ancestral techniques and motifs from his Zulu heritage, his designs are often innovative and contemporary, with extraordinary detail and craftsmanship. Ndwandwe’s baskets have been exhibited in galleries and exhibitions worldwide showcasing the fine artistry of basket weaving. ³

Rueben Ndwandwe, whose baskets are included in national and international collections, is known for his finely woven imbenge (open bowls) and ukhamba ( round lidded baskets) with their characteristic criss-crossed pattern of darker coloured ilala strips around the outer edge of the lids. He is one of a few men still weaving baskets, however there is a revival of male basket weavers in the Lubombo area around Kosi Bay. ¹

^1. Elbé Coetsee (2002) Zulu Baskets: Ancient Techniques Natural Materials. Modern Shapes in Craft Art in South Africa: Struik New Holland: page 13

^2. Sandra Klopper (2008) 'Necessity and Invention: The Art of Coiled Basketry in Southern Africa', in D. Rosengarten, E. Rosengarten and E. Schildkrout (eds.), Grassroots. Baskets of Two Continents. New York: African Art Museum.

^3. Anitra Nettleton (2010) 'Life in a Zulu Village: Craft and the Art of Modernity in South Africa', The Journal of Modern Craft, 3(1): pages 55-78.