Recognised for her talent and the importance of preserving traditional African craft, Gogo Tholani will be featured in a film and train other crafters on beaded miniature animal sculptures.
Hillcrest, South Africa (22 September 2024) – In the middle of the serene beauty of the Valley of 1000 Hills in KZN, Gogo Tholani, a master of beadwork, creates stunning miniature animal sculptures in her rural Inchanga home.
Gogo Tholani’s meticulous work has earned her a feature in a short documentary by Woza Moya, which will showcase the making of these unique animals by the humble and beautiful lady.
While visually appealing, it takes two days to make just one small guinea foul sculpture and the beaded animals are becoming increasingly difficult to find as many local crafters are reluctant to make them as they are so time-consuming.
The animal starts with a thin wire frame (Gogo’s husband lends a hand in this) which is stuffed with a type of felt and then a stocking-like material is sewn over the body to create a surface to bead on.
To help preserve this beautiful art, Gogo Tholani has been invited to the Woza Moya Centre to share her beading and craft skills. She will train a select group of beaders and hopes to find women with the skill and desire to keep this craft alive.
Woza Moya is the economic empowerment project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, a registered non-profit organisation in South Africa dedicated to saving and transforming lives through our various programmes and initiatives.
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