The ManicaPost
Friday lessons with Sir Mwanyisa
GREETINGS learners, parents and guardians! Welcome to your Visual and Performing Arts weekly lessons brought to you by your favourite newspaper, The Manica Post.
Learners are expected to have an exercise book and a pen to write work given as exercises. Parents or guardians are encouraged to assist learners with special needs.
This week our topic is on Pre-colonial visual arts of Southern Africa.
We focus on bead works from Zimbabwe.
Bead work has been part of Zimbabwean visual artworks.
A bead work piece of the Tonga people of Zimbabwe is shown below, it is a dance apron, 70 -100 years old.
The dance apron shown below is beautifully decorated with African bead work.
Media used
Beads are made from natural materials and man-made materials including bones, ivory, bones, seeds, shells and also stones.
These were commonly use in Zimbabwe.
Man-made materials
Synthetic materials that include glass, plastic, and alloy materials were introduced to the country through trade with mainly Asian countries.
Significance of bead works
The significance of bead works is depended on the material used in making beads the colour, size and the placement.
Uses of beads
Beads are used for spiritual purposes, decorative function and for identification.
The traditional healers wear beads for identification; they are also used for ritual purposes.
In the Christian religion the Roman Catholic uses the rosary made from plastic beads.
It is used to remind people on the death and resurrection of Christ.
Task:
Buy or collect locally available media in your community and produce bead works for a Christmas present for your dear one.
