"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

The Art of Southern Africa - A Book Review

It was with much excitement that I awaited the publication of The Art of Southern Africa. Following closely on the heels of The Art of Southeast Africa, The Art of Southern Africa is a selection of objects from the Terence Pethica collection. The book is an essential buy for any collector of art from the region. The book is richly illustrated, with text by leading South African scholars Sandra Klopper and Anitra Nettleton.

The text includes research on the style and iconography of headrests and the figurative works associated with initiation school, indigenous patrons and new foreign markets.

The art of Southern Africa, unlike the better-known traditions of central and western Africa, has been long overlooked. This book calls close attention to the art of this region through 140 objects, reproduced in full-colour plates. The pieces come from Southern African countries including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola and Zambia.

Featuring objects ranging from ornamental adornments, kitchen implements, prestige staffs, dance wands, figures for initiation ceremonies, figures for secret stages of personal growth, objects for battle, and objects for dance and spirits, this book brings together a magnificent compilation of works, many of which have never been seen before, made of wood, metal, bone and rhinoceros horn. My only minor gripe was that I would like to have seen more beadwork objects save. My favorite objects included a wonderful figurative prestige staff (#72) and a very rare initiation figure (#70).

The book is published by 5 Continents and is available at most ethnographic bookstores and online at Amazon.com

Daniel Rootenberg
JacarandaTribal.com