Sizwe Umoya is a gallery selling copper wire beaded items for example bowls, eggs, tea light holders, bracelets, ostrich eggs, festive light covers which are all unique to the area.
Sizwe Umoya – meaning ‘The Helping Wind’ in the Zulu language.
The group was started eight years ago by partners Wendy Hammond and Jen Wright. Four women were initially trained and now 14 women and two men work full time making these unique items. They work from their homes in the remote countryside, thus enabling them to care for their children and attend to their household chores.
The unique and beautiful products made by the group, Sizwe Umoya, are hand woven by Zulu women and men in the rural areas of Northern KwaZulu-Natal, a province of South Africa. The Zulu tribes are famous for their weaving skills, traditionally weaving reeds and grass into baskets and mats.
Theses skills have been applied to 100% pure copper wire, mined in the copper mines of South Africa. This metal was regarded as more precious than gold. The resulting artworks – woven bangles, bowls, brooches and Christmas lights are dazzling. Each piece is carefully hand crafted.
