Today’s A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
will be presented
in Zulu and Sepedi,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Hungarian, Indonesian,
Japanese, Korean,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Thai
and Spanish.
Cheerful viewers,
welcome to A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
on Supreme Master
Television.
Today we will visit the
lush land of South Africa
to discover
the beautiful heritage
of the Zulu people through
their traditional dress.
Every year,
several cultural festivals
are celebrated
in South Africa with
folk dances and rituals
to express the Zulu
people’s faith in God.
One of the most
vibrant demonstrations
during these events
is the traditional dress
of Zulu women.
The colorful styles
and decorations
are rich in symbolism.
Ms. Rose Mabunda,
founder of Tsalemane Art
and Culture,
is a designer of Zulu and
other African-inspired
traditional costumes.
Zulu clothes
are very beautiful.
We like to wear
traditional clothes
because when
you are wearing this
you look like
a real African.
One of the unique aspects
of Ms. Mabunda’s designs
is the merging of modern
and traditional elements.
She introduces us
to her elegant designs
and the important
meanings behind the
clothing and accessories.
I make Swati, Venda,
Xhosa and Zulu clothes.
Now, we make skirts and
then we decorate them
with beads to
make it more beautiful
and to suit anyone
who would like to wear it,
whether a Masotho
or Shangaan, whoever.
Everybody can wear it
and that is
how I make my clothes.
The way I am wearing
these clothes,
you can wear them
in winter and summer.
You are supposed to
wear them with sandals.
So it’s very important
to make nice and
colorful clothes.
And you can wear it anytime.
Add a polo neck inside,
or this way
that I am wearing it, then
put a headscarf on top,
you can wear it
in many, many ways.
You can also wear it
on the waist
or wear it like a scarf.
The Zulu hats,
or “isicholos” are worn
by women to show
respect and status.
Traditionally they are
made with cotton, straws,
or ropes over a frame, and
embellished with beads.
This hat that
I am wearing on my head
symbolizes my culture
so that people can see
that I am wearing
African clothes.
When one gets married,
a young woman,
they wear this hat.
It is a symbol that
now you are married.
I like this headscarf that
I am wearing because
it’s very comfortable and
it’s very important for us
to wear comfortable clothes,
and it must match
with the skirt.
For example,
this black skirt
must match with the hat
or the headscarf,
then mix it with a color,
like red.
Like the hat, earrings
made of materials
such as wood and
painted with bright colors
are a hallmark
of Zulu fashion.
I must wear this hat
with matching earrings.
My earrings
go with the clothes
that I am wearing and
not ordinary earrings
but traditional earrings
that we make now.
It’s a symbol of our culture
and the color reflects
the happiness from within
that African people have.
It’s orange with beads
that I am wearing here,
and the colors
must match too.
Beadwork is one of the
most important features
of Zulu attires.
The beads are often
handmade from a variety
of colorful materials.
The beads show
that our African culture
is so rich and beautiful,
and when I am wearing
these kinds of clothes,
I feel very proud
and comfortable
that I am an African.
I like to use them because
they make the hat
look more beautiful,
and also on the belt.
Different colors
make them look divine.
That is why
I like to use them.
And then I make earrings
with the same colors
so they can match
with the clothes.
Let’s take a look at one of
Ms. Mabunda’s creations
as she explains
the detailed consideration
she puts
into each component
of her Zulu dress designs.
This hat is to wear
during summer, and
these clothes, in winter,
you wear it
with a headscarf.
When I make it,
I make sure that
I use the right material
to make it nice.
Even when it is raining
it won’t feel heavy.
I like it very much
because you can
put your hands inside
when it is cold in winter.
(Oh, yes.) Especially
when it is cold, you can
wear this headscarf
to keep you warm
and a polo neck
but in summer,
there’s no need to wear it.
Here I use different colors.
I use bigger beads and
I also use smaller beads.
It depends on the customer.
And I use
all kinds of colors
to make it look nice
so you don’t have to
wear a golden necklace.
You can wear it
anywhere you like.
Weddings, funerals
and parties.
A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms
will be back with more
Zulu clothing designs
by Ms. Mabunda
after these brief messages.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
We like all colors,
there is no color
that we don’t like,
we use all colors.
Welcome back
to A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms
for our show featuring
the dignified traditional
dress of the Zulu people
through the designs
of Ms. Rose Mabunda,
founder of Tsalemane Art
and Culture.
The use of brilliantly
hued fabrics is popular
among Zulu costumes,
especially
for special occasions
such as weddings.
When you are the bride,
you are not supposed
to wear the way
that I am wearing now,
you are not supposed
to wear these colors.
The bride
must wear a red hat
during the wedding
and she is not supposed
to wear a black hat, and
the earrings must match
with the belt.
That shows that she is
now getting married.
The headscarf
symbolizes respect
according to
the Zulu people.
Also, a young woman
entering the wedding
is supposed to wear it.
The material
is called organza and
I can make many things
with this material.
I use this material
to promote our culture
so that even young people
won’t feel shy to wear
our African clothes.
So that is why now I also
use different materials
so that anyone
can feel happy to wear
these kinds of clothes,
to suit our modern times.
I used embroidery and
then I have made pleats;
then added beads.
This is the way that
we are supposed to dress
and it is very important
that everything matches
the skirt.
The belt must also
be colorful; African people
dress this way.
Next, Ms. Mabunda
presents a graceful,
green traditional outfit.
When you’re
wearing this hat,
it proves to people
you are Zulu.
And you can wear it
anywhere,
in other words, it suitable
for all occasions.
You can wear it
with this headscarf
or you can wear it
with a hat,
then wear these earrings.
Make sure that
when you wear earrings,
they match.
And it looks more beautiful
when we wear
traditional earrings.
Then you put this on here
and on the head.
You can wear it the way
it’s suitable for you,
it is still okay,
or you can wear it
the way I am wearing.
For shoes,
you can wear sneakers,
sandals or anything.
The concept
of color coordination
not only applies
to women’s clothes,
but also to men’s
and children’s.
Men normally wear
trousers with patches.
I make patches
on the trousers so
they can look beautiful,
and the top must also
have the patches so they
match with the trousers,
and that is
very important too.
That is the way
men wear their clothes.
And for children,
it’s also the same,
I mix and match colors
to make it look colorful.
I make skirts for girls,
but I don’t make hats
for girls because
they are still young.
The stylish designs
by Ms. Mabunda
have a universal appeal
to not only all Africans
but people of
other ethnicities as well.
Sepedi people have
their own attire
and it is different.
And Venda people also
have their own, and
Zulu people wear this way,
so all cultures, like, Venda
wear different clothes
from Sepedi.
But that is not important.
All people from all cultures
can wear Zulu,
Shangaan or Venda,
there is no problem.
And the way
that I am wearing,
all Africans can wear it.
It does not matter, our
clothes are for everybody,
whether you are white
or black, all cultures
wear the clothes
that I make and
you can see for yourself
that it is comfortable.
You can wear them
for parties and
special occasions.
These clothes are suitable
for everything
and at any time, even
when you go to the city
you can wear it.
It’s fine,
and when it’s cold,
you can put on
warm clothes underneath,
like a polo neck.
It’s fine, but make sure
that your clothes match.
To conclude today’s show,
Ms. Mabunda shares the
source of her inspiration
for the beautiful creations
that represent
the rich Zulu heritage.
I do this
because of my passion.
I love doing this.
So that when
people are wearing them,
they should look smart.
That is what motivates me.
I also want to
promote our culture.
I want our African culture
to inspire others.
I believe, to the way
I understand it,
is that people should know
that I am proud
to be an African.
Our heartfelt appreciation
Ms. Rose Mabunda
for sharing her expertise
on traditional Zulu dress.
May Heaven bless you
with continued success
in promoting the beautiful
traditions of Africa.
For more information
on Ms. Rose Mabunda’s
designs, please contact:
+27 73 056 4496
Pleasant viewers,
thank you for your presence
for A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms
on Supreme Master
Television.
Up next is
Vegetarianism:
The Noble Way of Living,
following
Noteworthy News.
May the essence
of all cultures shine forth
to foster harmony
and peace on Earth.