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Thursday, 29th September 2005 (6411 views)

Rural African women have been inspired by gold Indian jewellery to create their own collection mirrored on the pieces.

According to Cape Argus, women from Ubuhle Beautiful Beads in KwaZulu-Natal have designed a series of beaded pieces, which reinterpret the 38 ancient Indian items they saw.

Gold is important in Indian culture, notably in weddings, and the antique Indian gold necklaces, bangles, earrings, body armour, armbands and hair ornaments draw on Hindu gods and goddesses.

In their collection, the African women used traditional techniques to fashion contemporary pieces. Not only does the African BeadJewelled collection use Czech glass beads, it also incorporates gold thread and crystals.

"The inspiration derived from the antique Indian collection has allowed us to produce the most magnificent art jewellery. At last we have been given the opportunity to use the skills that have been honed over the last five years, to create work that exceeds anything we have produced previously," commented Ubuhle founder Beverly Gibson.

The Indian jewellery was on loan from the Babier-Mueller Museum in Geneva and can now be viewed, together with the African pieces, at the Gold of Africa Musuem, which was joined by Ubuhle and Anglogold Ashanti in this venture.

 

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