Spoon “Izinkhezo" - Zulu People, South Africa (0383)

The Zulu spoons were carved & used with great care. In fact, when not being used the spoons had to be stored in special woven grass pouches called impontshi. Leaving spoons standing in food or sticking out of a pot was believed to result in indigestion (the food would stick to the stomach). The stems of the spoons have personalized and beautiful relief carvings.

During a special ceremony, the father of the bride would present his newly married daughter with a set of new spoons (referred to as goat spoons) whilst swapping a goat or equally valuable gift with her father-in-law. The bride could now prepare, eat and drink from her new household's communal food source (prior to the ceremony, she had to bring her own milk to make sour milk, as she could not share in the groom's until she had been fully integrated into the new household.

Dimensions: 13.25" H (on a 2.5" square base) x 2.25" W x 11/8" D.