Eight beautifully hand-crafted totems will form the cornerstone of the V&A Waterfront’s décor over this festive season, which have been created by local communities from around the country who are known for the creativity – a warm celebration of South African craft and heritage!
The totems are part of the V&A Waterfront’s Joy from Africa to the World campaign, in which Africa’s most visited destination sets about reimagining a festive season that celebrates its African roots. The local designs will be the stars of the show and the heroes are celebrated, while giving visitors a hearty African welcome.
“Our aim is to take visitors on a journey of discovery beyond our neighbourhood. We are supporting local communities and paying respect where respect is due. Each totem is a beacon for many communities around the country,” explains Tinyiko Mageza, Executive Manager of Marketing at the V&A Waterfront.
Here are the featured communities behind these beautiful totems:
Ukuziqhenya (Wow Zulu) by Africa!Ignite, made in Emazizini, Indanda, Ladysmith in KwaZulu- Natal
Africa!Ignite is a leading rural-development agency based in KwaZulu-Natal, known for its holistic programmes that support rural communities to create meaningful livelihoods.
The totem, Ukuziqhenya, displays the skills passed down through generations of Zulu craft culture. Beading, weaving and embroidery showcase the expertise in handcraft that is revered in KwaZulu-Natal, elevating it in this piece of contemporary design.
Umthombo by African Art Centre, made in Manguzi, Kwamashu and Greytown
The African Art Centre was established in Durban in 1959 to preserve and mentor the development of arts, craft and design, and showcases local creative talent.
Umthombo, which means ‘tree with the purest water’ in isiZulu, was created using wooden sculpted animals and pillars and then decorated in telewire.
Bringing Joy by Mapula Embroidery Project, made in the Winterveld
The Mapula women use drawing and embroidery to capture their stories of hope, survival and thriving. The fabric on which the artists’ stories are told through embroidery is 100% cotton.
The embroidery stitch the Mapula women mostly use is called the stem stitch, while some have started experimenting with different stitches, such as running or cross-stitching, including French knots.
Umoya Wasekasi by Monkeybiz, made in Khayelitsha
Umoya Wasekasi, which is isiXhosa for ‘spirit of the township’, is the story of Monkeybiz in Khayelitsha. Noloyiso Maphakathi, who beaded the sun and moon that sits at the apex, says the sun symbolises happiness in her Xhosa culture while the moon can, depending on its phase, predict luck or misfortune.
Having the moon and sun at the top of the totem represents the cycle of life, which is made up of day and night; light and darkness.
Izintsika Zamandla (Pillars of Strength) by the Keiskamma Art Project, made in Hamburg
This totem celebrates the women who are the pillars of the Hamburg community and who have been the lifeblood of the Kesikamma Art Project for the past 20 years. The three concentric wings on each layer of this totem tell a story about women and their resilience.
Lead artist Ndileka Mapuma says that being able to draw and create embroidery for the totem was a huge achievement for her.
Two bays by Ronel Jordaan & Projekt, made in Cape Town
The women who created this totem live in three of Cape Town’s settlements. Those who work at Ronel Jordaan’s Capricorn Park studio hail from Vrygrond and Masiphumelele, while most of the crochet artists at Projekt live in Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay, having moved to Cape Town from Zimbabwe and Malawi.
This totem is inspired by the oceans. Coral, seaweed and jellyfish have been interpreted in felt and crochet forms that fill this totem, with the notion that one should always look beyond the surface to find hope and positive reasons to embrace change.
Life, Love and Happiness by Magpie Studio, made in Barrydale
The studio uses a lot of plastic lids, hundreds of recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic soda bottles and other materials left for waste, with the ethos underpinning their approach of being eco-friendly or upcycling.
All the elements used to make the totem were found and repurposed in Barrydale, including the PET plastic. They were moulded into hearts, grass and Barrydale Red Fin Minnows. A PET waterfall runs throughout Life, Love and Happiness, reaching its end in the lush flower meadow on the bottom layer.
Paivepo by Master Wire And Bead Craft, inspired by Zimbabwe
Even though bead-and-wire artist Bishop Tarambawamwe has lived in Cape Town for 18 years, he still considers Rusape, Zimbabwe his home. The town lies along the main road between Harare and Mutare.
Working with pliable wire and a variety of beads in a myriad of colours, Master Wire and Bead Craft turns simple materials into intricate forms.
For more information, visit www.joyfromafrica.co.za or follow the hashtag #JoyFromAfrica to be part of the V&A Waterfront’s journey of change and compassion.
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Picture/s: Supplied