AFRICAN BEADS STORIES

Having a bad hair day? Why don't you just doek it and grab a matching clutch bag to go with it.  Ankara print bags are for sale for R120 each Besides even our  South African independent news channel eNCA  had to change their on air dress policy  to accommodate the doek. This after the  country came out in arms to defend and  support then  journalist, Nontobeko Sibisi whose story was not aired because  she was wearing a doek. eNCA staff in support of doek for Nontobeko Sibisi ( picture supplied) The hashtags #RespekTheDoek and #DoekTheNewsroom trended for days. You see most  African women- this including the high profile figures such as - former  Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, minister in the Presidency for National Planning Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, EFFs  MP  Makoti Sibongile Khawula and the late  Winnie Madikizela-Mandela- the doek worn as a sign of resepect.  At times for  eithe...

Imagine our mobile shop at your door step.. Just imagine making extra money The chocker and the big necklace are from the Maasai tribe in Kenya One of the thrills of being a hawker-A person who travels about selling goods, typically advertising them by shouting -I mostly shout through social media-facebook, twitter, instagram and now working on ways to venture onto the  video sharing platform You Tube and horn my arrival in the arts and craft market- is that, you get to interact with your customers at a personal level. They are able to share with you their ideas of how they would like their piece of traditional, western items be made. With custom made products, my customers have the  freedom to design their  piece, choose size, color and  length. Of course the higher the demand of work spent on an item, the higher the price of that particular items. The other expensive staff in my shop currently is the Maasai jewellery. These are originally made in Kenya apa...

It is exciting when you start something not knowing if it will get the exposure you want.But when I saw this Youtube video by the Daily Sun Cl team. I was over the moon to see we have made it to the main stream media. Soon soon everybody will be talking about us... You cant stop a girl from dreaming. But in the mean time, please check out the video (see the link below and what went down at the market this past weekend. The Soweto VW market is happening every Sunday at the Maponya Precinct Soweto.   https://youtu.be/01RDKVXy8gE

Sometimes it is easy to forget the people who started the journey with you. Today, I want to honor those who were supported the business in the past four months. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support in pictures. The team at VW Soweto market, friends who didn't mind being my models award winning singer, Naima Kay with our Gold Ndebele Piece two ways of wearing our long bracelets, either as a choker or an ordinary bracelet A customer wearing a rastafarian colours beaded necklace The first beaded transgender flag we did was for Yaya. She has been nominated for the 2018 Feathers Awards in the socialite of the years category

Short beaded stick R150 long one R250 Today's article is inspired by a book I recently read, "These things really do happen to me" by a South African author and manager at Heineken South Africa, Khaya Dlanga. in this book, Khaya Dlanga explains why Xhosa men and boys carried sticks The writer - a Xhosa man who spent the early years of his life leaving in rural village in the Eastern Cape- gives an explanation on why his grandfather, Alfred Kaiser Boyce made sure boy or man carried stick, I quote from page 30 of the book, " A stick was a sign of manliness. You could use it to fend off attacks and troublesome dogs. You were never deterred from going where you supposed to, because you were always armed". walking out of CCMA 23 September 2018 Recently, I attended a court case against my former employer. I took the fight very seriously, so serious that as a build up to the date I would do my primary war cry, Niyabesaba Na! over and over to build conf...

The first ever Rosary we made was inspired by a leader of my church group. Soon after I left my previous job, I told everyone I knew I would be beading full time. While wooden and stone beads were my speciality at the time, but it became interested in exploring the skills to more traditional South African bead work. This was also motivated by our clients at the Johannesburg shop. Many would come wanting the traditional Zulu beads nesiXhosa. When I told the group about my new career change, they gave me ideas of what I could do. The purses initially for the church, heels and my first ever Rosary. This request came from Saagar, a collector of Rosary. I didn't know he had a genuine interest then. I saw how appreciative he was when I delivered them to him.  This is what he had to say about the African Rosary Many cultures around the world have beads ingrained in them, however there is a deeper significance than just jewellery. The Rosary for example comes ...

Meet our contributors in your jewellery, the team ayiphelelanga #proudlysouthafrican#proudlyAfrican The woman who taught me all I know about African jewelry, the industry and above all taught how to trust in God My starring, whatever design I ask, I get la I will never forget this cold winter day in Johannesburg.  If I have ever said I'm doing this alone, please know that I was lying. I had  team of these ladies with me. They   taught me many things but the one that stood up was to be proud of who you are, where you come from and dont even be afraid to showcase what you truly about. I wish the government could have taken this skill to our black schools, especially primary level. This is something that anyone can survive by. Especially a black South African, it teaches you your culture, while making money too don't you just love her neck piece?

Beku MNANDI!!! beku lit! This past weekend e VW Soweto. Our  day at the market in Pictures. No caption just letting pics do the talking

Me and my brother, Xolani Ndabeni off to sell at MTN head office I would be lying to you if I say I started my businesses because I felt the need to solve something. To be quite honest, initially I crafted for fun and they joy of  helping  my friend, Cynthia who had a stall  in town then.  I became a partner when I could see she needed financial help with her business. At first, I would borrow her money needed and she would pay it back with interest of course. This went on for two years. Yes I played with the idea of starting a business whilst employed as a full time journalist, but upon consulting and doing research on my own. It was rather a bad idea to start a business and not be there physically to run it. But this crave was fulfilled when I was bullied at work and left with no option but to resign. At the time, I had many things I wanted to do, like write my book and other South African stories. But I knew I wasn't well equiped  for those proje...

Asanda and Mbali Kani at a wedding in Johannesburg. Asanda is wearing the Xhosa beaded scarf and blue and white necklace from us. If  two of the world's most richest men, Bill Gates and Mark Elliot Zuckerberg were assisted by friends to build their wealth. Then, I would like to believe that I am on the right path and have chosen friends carefully over the years in order to build my business empire. The marketing of the beads business is strongly  driven by people whom I have known for years and those around me now. From its inception back in 2015, this was  when my Zambian friend, Cynthia  and I used to buy time by creating simple patterns of wood necklaces, bracelets, earings to more complicated pieces that makes a dramatic entrance, to the ones that add that African thing to a classy outfit. Not only did these people spread the word about what I and the team do. The moment I announced I was going to do this business full time and  showe...