South Africa Doll KwaZulu-Natal Zulu Sangoma

Female cloth doll representing a Zulu Sangoma. The Zulu people mainly live in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. A Sangoma is a diviner; a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling. A ‘sjambok’ or whip is carried as a symbol of authority. The headdress consists of inflated goat gall bladders.

Folklore is in the air… uhm… ear!

Details

Object Ritual doll
Origin South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal
Culture Zulu people
Medium Felt, beads, Job Tears seeds, animal fur, yarn
Mark or Tag None
Made by Unknown
Size H 27 cm
Dated Not dated
Acquired Online end 1990's - early 2000's

Postcard

Here's a postcard that matches this doll. It shows how the people living in South Africa are dressed in their traditional costume.

Text on the back of the postcard: 'Tribal life - Stamlewe. Zulu family in the Drakensberg area , Natal. 'n Zulu-gesin in die Drakensberg-gebied van Natal.' Postmark 1973.

Happy collecting,