Museums and galleries usually view ethnic beadwork in one of two ways: the anthropological perspective reveals the item's function and the wearer's cultural status and values, while the aesthetic evaluation of the piece appraises quality of workmanship, intricacies of technique and artistry of colour and pattern choice. Recent approaches tend to combine both orientations and perhaps give the closest approximation to the maker's intent and relative success in communicating it.

Such an integrative approach can be applied to MaMgwamanda Mdluli's beaded cape (utshodo) thereby kindling an appreciation of her as artist, individual and traditionalist Zulu woman. MaMgwamanda is the third wife of Inkosi (Chief) Mdluli from Emkhambathini in the Ndwedwe district of KwaZulu-Natal. She made the cape for her wedding; the style is typical of contemporary beadwork in the area and known locally as "Umkhambathi", indicating the origins of the wearer, its multiple colours referring to the fertility of both area and woman.

Barbara Eleanor Harcourt Tyrrell was born on March 15th 1912 in Durban. Her father, who died while she was a small child, had occupied the post of assistant magistrate and later interpreter in the Department of Native Affairs and had been stationed in various Natal towns, his final posting being to Eshowe, Zululand. Tyrrell's grandfather was Frederick Fynney, interpreter and companion to the Zulu king Cetshwayo during the latter's visit to Queen Victoria in 1882.1

To encourage and promote the traditional skills of African people and to help the transition from traditional to contemporary expression; to provide incentives for artists and craftsmen; to assist self-help projects financially by promoting and marketing art and craft; and to help artists and craftsmen by sponsoring training in skills and by holding exhibitions.1

Jo Thorpe was singularly successful in the accomplishment of these aims. Even after her retirement in 1991 she remained committed to the Centre as a consultant while also compiling a history of the Centre called It's never too early: African Art and Craft in KwaZulu-Natal 1960-1990, published by the Centre for Social and Development Studies of the University of Natal in 1994. Thorpe died on 18 February 1995 at the age of 74.

WCP Burchell's Kora

The Englishman, William Burchell, for instance, set out on his Cape travels in June 1811, returning in 1815 with some 500 drawings to illustrate his two-volume account,

Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa (London: Longman, Hurst and Co. 1822- 4).

Of these field sketches he says:

"Every additional sketch was, I considered, a triumph over oblivion, and a powerful assistant to recollection." 1