Bambizulu is a community of women basketweavers. It was started by Sinegugu Ngxongo as a way to improve her grandmother Beauty Ngxongo’s livelihood, and later, to support other women weavers from exploitation by middlemen. Sinegugu also sought to conserve what a community already had, yet undervalued – its craft heritage. Bambizulu Studio supports over 115 women in groups around KwaZulu-Natal. They train and work from home, a system that not only enables them to take care of their families but also allows the wider community to witness and value the impact of their craft practice.

The women weave collectible and decorative Isichumo vessels and interior objects. Weaving story and tradition, their processes rely on their natural surroundings and inherited traditional practices. Like the weavers before them, the women harvest and prepare ilala palm and river grass fibres for weaving, and forage for plants, roots and berries to make natural dyes. Sinegugu does not compromise on these practices. “Our work offers the authentic feel of what Zulu basketry is. We are carrying a lineage story forward,” she says. “To me, this also means being very careful that we represent our people the right way when sharing Bambizulu Studio’s work with the world."