About This Vintage Postcard
This striking monochrome postcard captures 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. 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. These gourds, or 'amakhukho', were essential domestic tools, often meticulously prepared and passed down through generations for water and traditional brewing.
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
This postcard would look great framed or make an excellent addition to any collection.
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