South Africa
Ndebele

Calabash, beads, fiber
Mid-Late 20th Century
Length: 13 inches
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle

Today the Ndebele women continue their traditions of creating elaborate beadwork of all sorts and the painting of the walls of their homes in bright colors with geometric designs.  This is a beaded Ndebele rattle from the Zonneville Collection in Erskineville, South Africa. The dried seed beads inside the gourd make the sound when shaken. The outside net beading is for identification, protection, and decoration.