Arts and Crafts of South Africa

One literally trips over creativity on any visit to South Africa, whether you are negotiating a deal with a local wire-artist on a city street in Jozi, or becoming familiar with the beautiful beaded works made by the rural women in Kwa-Zulu Natal, there is a wealth of imagination wherever you look.

San Inspiration

One cannot mention the arts and crafts of the Northern Cape without making reference to the indigenous people of the region. The San have found a way of uniquely expressing their place in the world, through their art. Using the magic of traditional San imagery, a visit to the art centre at Platfontein is a mystical experience like none other. Here, crafters use the voices of their ancestors to create a wide range of spiritually unique products ranging from wall- hangings to basketry to enormous canvas etchings, and so much more.

Cape Creativity

The Western Cape is full of wonderful community enterprises that boast spectacular arts and crafts. Some notables include:

The Montebello Craft Design Centre in Newlands - where you can pick up a variety of goods - pottery, paper, textiles and beading all made on site premises).
The Monkeybiz bead project was started in Cape Town to empower local women through beadwork and has proved a great success. The works on offer are just like the name, cheeky, inspirational and loads of fun.
Also look out for Streetwires, a consortium of some 80 crafters selling some of the world's more exceptional (and functional) wire art. Wildly ArtisticThe ‘Wild Coast’ area (on the boarder of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal) boasts one of the country's most rugged and rustic coastlines, AND a wealth of arts & culture treasures.
The Amampondo Community Art Centre offers up some of the best traditional works around - local beadwork, pots, weaving and fantastic wooden sculptures.
Mawawa Crafts (a roadside one-stop-shop along the way to Coffee Bay) offers up famous wooden carved fish (typical of the area).
At Skilinkindi, you will also find the influence of the ocean amongst community artists.
Another great stopover is a visit to Pondo People for beautiful beaded waistcoats, tablecloths, cushion covers, all made by the local Xhosa community…you won't find wares like this anywhere else in the world.

Zulu Attitude

For art lovers, traditional Zulu crafts are a major draw card to the province of KwaZulu Natal. Bright and bold beadworks, traditional baskets and mats, huge pots made solely for Zulu beer are all up for grabs. There are a number of community craft projects on the go in this province. In fact, these creative projects bring in a significant livelihood contribution to many of the rural in areas like Kosi Bay and the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Look out for:

Village Weavers for handmade wall hangings in mohair (made up in the a huge array of colours and themes).
Ladysmith Cultural Centre offers some of the best Zulu pots and the beadwork is simply phenomenal.
The Thandanani Mazizi Handcraft Centre offers up some fantastic grasswork - weaved baskets in bright colours.

Land of the Free

Over the years, the Free State farmland has became a regular haunt for artists from all over South Africa. Why? Perhaps it's the wide-pen spaces, the fresh country air and the homegrown values that inspire those with magic on their minds. Whatever the reason - artists have found solace and inspiration here in places like Ficksburg and Clarens (far from the madding crowds of Gauteng). Some of the inspiration certainly comes from the surrounds (spectacular places like Golden Gate National Park) and of course, from the local people.

The Free State can also boast of a number of community arts & crafts projects that have made their mark on local and international designers:

The Basotho Cultural Village (near the entrance to the Golden Gate National Park) offers up a wide variety of traditional Basotho arts and crafts including large rustic pottery items prepared by the Bolata Pottery Project.
Another stopover to look out for is the Mautsendal Cultural Village (between Ficksburg and Senekal) where one can buy traditional Sotho tapestries and crafts in the bright colours so well-known to the area (think of bright oranges and burn amber).
If you love delicate glassware then visit the Glaasstudio Trust, all products are handmade by local artists, simply sublime.

There are wonderful arts & crafts options all over the country - don't forget to buy up a storm of traditional Venda crafts in Limpopo province, funky urban offerings in Johannesburg and superbly colourful Ndebele crafts from Mpumalanga.

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