1910 Zulu Women Mariannhill South Africa Ethnographic Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

This ethnographic postcard features two Zulu women in traditional attire standing at the edge of a stream, leaning against a natural rock face. Each carries a large, dried calabash gourd used for transporting water. These gourds, or 'amakhukho', were essential domestic tools passed down through generations. The image provides an intimate look at the intricate beadwork, copper bangles, and social status markers central to Zulu cultural identity in the early 20th century. The photograph was taken at or near Mariannhill, a significant mission station and monastery complex established in 1882 in the Natal colony. 

Details

Era: Divided Back (Circa 1905–1915)
City: Mariannhill (near Pinetown/Durban)
State or Region: KwaZulu-Natal / Zululand
Country: South Africa
Topic: Zulu People, Ethnographic Photography, Mariannhill Mission, Traditional Beadwork, African History
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Vertical (Portrait)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown (attributed to Mariannhill Mission photographers)
Publisher: Mariannhill Mission Press
Printer: Unknown
Print Type: Collotype