London

Hlengiwe Dube

Ifundiso Trading

Weaver | Durban, South Africa

Weaving lifelines with the power of culture

Hlengiwe is a pioneer of contemporary freeform telephone-wire weaving
Her residency hosts global artists for cultural exchange
She has taught traditional Zulu craft to over 3000 students

Hlengiwe Dube reinterprets the visual language of her Zulu culture by weaving vivid telephone-wire platters that give a nod to traditional objects such as iziqhaza earplugs and iziNcwadi zoThando love letters. She spent 26 years at Durban’s African Art Centre, where she went from maker to researcher, travelling to rural areas to document the meaning of shapes and colours used by local Zulu masters. “I am trying to reveal the forgotten traditional stitches and patterns to bring back something that had been lost,” she says. Each piece takes Hlengiwe 70 hours to complete, over the course of 18-hour days. She views the rigour of her practice as a lifeline, as she believes her work is therapeutic for her. “My work is what heals me,” Hlengiwe says. Today, she works globally with international museums and institutions such Yale, to ensure that traditional Zulu artefacts are viewed as living symbols of Nguni heritage.

Interview

How did you first discover your craft?: My family was immersed in traditional craft culture. So, from the age of nine, I learned a lot from my grandmother, Mzensisi Dube, the best beadworker in our community. My mother and her used to collect artefacts from different villages in KwaZulu-Natal, which helped me grasp the language of beads and customs. I learned how the Zulu culture uses colour to communicate.
Does your environment play a big role in your work?: I was born in New Hanover in the Njengabantu clan, and so was telephone-wire weaving. The craft was taught to the community by local security guards, who created it when they needed something to do during night shifts. Growing up in a rural area, I had the opportunity to witness traditional ceremonies, dress and customs, which is invaluable influence on my work today.
What inspires your colours and patterns?: Colours and patterns carry messages: a shield represents protection, black stands for power and wisdom, and green means new life. I learned all about the 73 colours used in Zulu love letters through my research and Dr. Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s interview with his mother, Princess Magogo, which he had shared with me. I also learnt a lot about colours and shapes from Credo Mutwa’s Indaba, My Children.
Which aspect of your practice do you love the most?: Weaving, much like meditation, keeps me focused, calms my mind and shifts my attention away from my problems. In 2012, I received difficult news about my health, which only pushed me to open my own studio, Ifundiso Trading. My work is what heals me.

Hlengiwe Dube is a master artisan: she began her career in 1986 and she started teaching in 1990