Colorful houses of the ancient African people Ndebele

Ndebele is an African ethnic group about which not much is known. According to historians, the tribe settled near Pretoria (South Africa) in the 16th century. However, the quarrels that began between the families led to a split, part of the tribe decided to secede and moved further north to the territory of Zimbabwe. It was they who subsequently came up with bizarre painting schemes of their homes, which became famous throughout the world. Now the best place to admire their drawings is the village of Mapoch, which is 40 kilometers from Pretoria.

It is believed that Ndebele began to decorate houses with such a striking ornament after they lost in the war with Dutch settlers in the late 19th century. With the help of such art, the members of the tribe secretly communicated with each other, and the Dutchmen who did not suspect anything considered the painting only as a beautiful decoration.

Only women can paint walls at Ndebele, because the finer the pattern is, the better the hostess is considered the best mother and wife. It is not surprising that traditional art has been passed down for centuries from mother to daughter from generation to generation.

Watch the video: Ndebele Tribe, South Africa V M (May 2024).