'NGEZANDLA ZETHU: Stories of African Basketry in Rural KwaZulu' is an exhibition curated by Naeema Hussein El Kout and Goeun Botha, and collected and researched by Pam McLaren.
This exhibition was born out of the unrecognised, but vital, role of the basket maker in the collective heritage of rural communities. This is an immersive, interdisciplinary exhibition that brings into focus the often-hidden histories of disability and rehabilitation in rural South Africa through the medium of traditional African basketry.
These practices are represented here through a collection of baskets produced in three self-help, income-generating projects in remote areas of Natal, Zululand and Maputaland between 1978 and 1990.
This collection of North Nguni baskets deepens visitors' understanding of cultural heritage as a living connection between identity, history and sustainability. Basketry enabled survival in the past, predating pottery in weaving traditions that span about 20 000 years.