Silver jewellery through the generations
- Joe and Ngoni are a jewellery maker and silversmith who work together
- They specialise in techniques such as lost wax, cabochon setting and using trade beads
- They are both training their sons in their crafts
Joe Mutoko and Ngoni Chivasa are silversmiths for Ndau Collection, a jewellery workshop in Victoria Falls. Joe is a third-generation jewellery maker and a descendant of the Ndau people who are renowned for their jewellery making and ironsmithing. He started at the workshop in 1993 as a cabochon stone cutter and doing necklace assembly, and now heads the team. Ngoni was promoted to the workshop in 2003. An all-rounder silversmith, he specialises in etching. Joe and Ngoni work with gemstones, recycled materials such as bones and stones and use trade beads sourced from East Africa. Both are inspired by nature, the richness of their artistic heritages, and the workshop’s founder and her daughter. Joe and Ngoni are training their sons, creating family legacies by passing on the knowledge of their craft to the next generation.
Interview
- Why did you choose this craft?
- Joe: It was a hobby that grew into a career. I inherited ironsmith skills from my grandfather. At six years old, I made rings from twisting copper wire and, inspired by my uncle’s sunglasses I made my own using Coke bottle bases and wire. Ngoni: I never thought of becoming a silversmith. I was given an opportunity to try my hand at jewellery making, and it evolved from there.
- Do you master any specific techniques?
- Do you master any specific techniques?Joe: Yes, lost wax casting, cabochon setting, and I specialise in working with fragile antique glass trade beads which are easily broken by heat and require a gentle touch. Ngoni: I am an all-round silversmith. I specialise in etching silver, and I work with antique glass trade beads, too.
- Can you tell us a memorable moment in your professional life?
- Joe: I was interviewed by the BBC World Service for a segment about life in the Ndau Collection workshop. Ngoni: It was my first day in the workshop, I was given a
- How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
- Joe: In the workshop, we have moved from creating pieces entirely by hand to also using machines to make the process easier. There is still so much hand labour involved. Ngoni: We use traditional methods like lost wax casting that we have adapted to suit local conditions and the materials we have to hand.
Joe Mutoko & Ngoni Chivasa are master artisans: they began their career in 1993 and they started teaching in 2002
Works
Where
Joe Mutoko & Ngoni Chivasa
