Title: Child's 'Lighabi' Skirt
Material: Leather, beads and thread
Description: The Ndebele reflect and record the development
of the entire life of both a woman and man, from birth through
childhood, pubescence, adulthood, marriage, childbearing and
to maturity through appropriate forms of beadwork.
When a
child is born, it is equipped with a single strand of beads, known
as an 'umucu.'
Next in the bead cycle is the 'lighabi,' a leather or
canvas loin apron hung with beaded tassels and worn like an
elaborate fig leaf.
It is replaced by larger versions as the child
grows towards puberty. This particular lighabi predates the 1950's.
Due to the fragile state of this old lighabi, it has been mounted
upon a frame for display. It can be taken off.
Dimensions: 9" height x 12" width x 1" depth
