Unrecorded artist, Xhosa Peoples

Notes

In Nguni culture, beaded snuff gourds are intimate, highly personal containers used to hold powdered tobacco snuff. Snuff is taken socially, medicinally, and in rituals to clear the mind and facilitate communication with the ancestral world. These objects, handcrafted primarily by women, are adorned with intricate beadwork whose colours and patterns convey social identity, status, and personal meaning.

The gourd is sometimes shaped during growth using a string to achieve a desired form. Once cured, the surface is covered in beadwork — fine glass seed beads stitched with thread or sinew to create vibrant, geometric patterns. On some, a matching beaded stopper seals the opening, and a beaded strap allows the gourd to be worn around the neck or body as a personal ornament.

For a young man, the richness and extent of beadwork signified his popularity and standing within the community. In ritual use, sharing snuff symbolised respect and connection — a tangible act of communion between the living and their ancestors.

Provenance

Colin Sayers Collection.