"Sicebile: Swaziland’s Cultural Adornment and Artefacts" by Gordon Malangabi Crawford

Gordon Malangabi Crawford has recently published a book called “Sicebile: Swaziland’s Cultural Adornment and Artefacts.”

Mr. Crawford (who also goes by his Swazi name of Malangabi) has more than twenty years of research experience in Southern Africa studying material culture. His research for this book on the Swazi people alone has been more than six years in the making. The Swazi are descendents of the pastoralist Nguni tribe from Swaziland and South Africa, specifically along the border of Zululand. They are renowned in the region for a rich tradition of tribal arts.

This book is the first ever written on traditional tribal art and material culture from Swaziland. The book contains rich information on and pictures of tribal art objects ranging from beadwork to dolls, combs and mirrors to snuff containers. It opens up the hereunto-unknown material world of the Swazi.

The editor notes "This book provides a window into what is a little-known and fast dying art. The author's obvious dedication and commitment to a world and people he knows and loves, and the thoroughness of his research has resulted in a book which serves a very necessary purpose, and should prove indispensable to all those interested in our colourful and chequered cultural and historical past."

The book is not yet widely available but can be found in select bookstores in Swaziland and South Africa. The books is also available on eBay. Mr. Crawford is still looking for a US distributor for the book.

Here are some additional examples of the images contained in the book:

Dori Rootenberg

www.JacarandaTribal.com