Zulu love letter

AfricaBritish EmpireCraft

Mar 9

Written By Florence Okoye

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A brown envelope which reads 'Betty Hlela's beads' in handwritten biro pen. The Zulu love letter card with the safety pinned Zulu beaded badge is placed on top of it on the left.

A display of nine beaded badges in the shape of dragonflies, caterpillars and crocodiles.

A light green paper booklet with the title in capitals: 'Zulu Love Letter'. A safety pin has been pierced through it. Attached to the safety pin is a small Zulu style beaded badge made up of light blue beads with two white-outlined, black triangles

Zulu love letter card, opened. On the left side reads: 'ZULU LOVE LETTER (Newadi) 'Love letters' are messages woven in beads by Zulu maidens to be given to their lovers as symboles of love and affection.' The right side reads: 'MEANING OF THE COLOUR

On the left is a brown envelope which reads 'Betty Hlela's beads' in handwritten biro pen. The Zulu love letter card with the safety pinned Zulu beaded badge is placed on top of it. On the right is a box of nine beaded badges in the shape of dragonf

A brown envelope which reads 'Betty Hlela's beads' in handwritten biro pen. The Zulu love letter card with the safety pinned Zulu beaded badge is placed on top of it on the left.

A display of nine beaded badges in the shape of dragonflies, caterpillars and crocodiles.

On the left is a brown envelope which reads 'Betty Hlela's beads' in handwritten biro pen. The Zulu love letter card with the safety pinned Zulu beaded badge is placed on top of it. On the right is a box of nine beaded badges in the shape of dragonf

This is a commercially made object most likely for visiting tourists but the beads represent a much older heritage of bead making made not of plastic but of glass made by skilled artisans in the region.

The Zulu Love Letter was given to BCA along with a box of beaded animal shaped decorative pieces with a handwritten label that reads “Betty Hlela’s beads”.

Did Betty make and sell these objects or perhaps she collected them? They were clearly very special to her that she thought to gift them to BCA

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