E0137: Zulu, Umutsha

Ethnographic

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Identifier:

E0137

Classification Category:

3:Personal Artifacts ➞ Clothing ➞ Outerwear

Materials:

fabric ➔ cloth

Dimensions:

84 cm L
23 cm W

Provenance of Object:

This object was held in the museum that Luther College started in 1877. This museum eventually grew into the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, and following this, non-Norwegian American ethnographic objects were returned to Luther and accessioned into the college’s Anthropology Collection. Without additional documentation, was likely obtained by the Luther College Museum (later the Norwegian-American Museum) between the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Production Date:

Late 19th century to early 20th century

Use/Function:

These belts are worn by courting-age women

Source Locality:

Natal, South Africa

Description:

Beaded belt and apron called Umutsha/ pl. imitsha. Umutsha style skirts are waistbands composed of one or more tubes of grass or cloth covered in beads using the gongqoloza method. The Gongqoloza Method is a technique that involves winding beads around a cloth or grass roll and then the rolls can be sewn together to create waistbands and armbands. The skirts are worn by courting-age women.

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