About African Beads

We are located in Texas and operate under the business name The Bead Bug LLC. All the products that we sell have been crafted by poverty stricken individuals in Southern Africa. No one item is exactly the same as each item has been  crafted by hand, which makes them an original, a "one of a kind".

These unique creations are the sole means for crafters to generate a sustainable income for themselves and their extended families.

For additional information regarding the products, projects and fundraisers, please click here.

Beadwork

Following tradition, the beadwork is crafted using techniques mastered hundreds of years ago. This form of art was adopted by the Zulu Nation, a tribe in South Africa, as part of their historical culture. Worn by both men and women, the beadwork was a form of communication between the sexes. Shapes and colors were woven into the jewelry to form messages. Specific items were made and worn for specific occasions.

Jewelry is only made by women as was the practice in the past. However, today the beadwork is a means of survival and no longer carries meanings or messages.

	Richard is Zimbabwean. Because of the unstable political situation in Zimbabwe, he was forced to leave his home and family in order to seek employment in South Africa. He has temporary accommodation and travels back and forth to take money to his family. Like too many Zimbabweans, he hand crafts beautiful wire and bead ornaments to maintain a meager subsistence.
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Rodwell Chipembere is a Zimbabwean. He has a wife and three children aged 13,8 and 5. He learnt his craft in Zimbabwe and did well there until political and economic circumstances forced him to travel to South Africa to earn an income. Rodwell is an Apostolic Christian and rents a small area from the local beach Municipality. He stays in South Africa with his brothers and sends money home whenever he can. The unemployment rate in Zimbabwe is currently at 80%. No other member of Rodwell’s family at home is earning an income. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Rodwell to remain in South Africa. As the economic climate in South Africa deteriorates, attitudes towards “foreigners” have become increasingly hostile. In the first week of July 2008, Rodwell’s stall on the beachfront was burnt down and all his crafts and materials destroyed. As modest as Rodwell’s possessions are, he has to start again to build up stock.

Thulisile Gamede is 34 years old. She taught herself the traditional craft of weaving beads in order to support herself and her 3 children.She also supports her mother, her sick brother and his children. She is the sole earner for a family of 10. Her story is the same as so many South African women.
Thuli has passed away from what we suspect to be an HIV/Aids related illness. The Beadbug heard of Thuli’s passing on July 4th, 2008. Her children are now orphans and join a fast growing statistic in South Africa. Thuli was the breadwinner for her children and extended family but will now rely on Thuli’s sister (who has her own extended family) for support.
The Zulu Nation, one of the largest tribes in South Africa, well known as a tribe with a strong culture and tradition. They have produced traditional beadwork for centuries. Their jewelry was a form of communication, always made exclusively by women, but was worn by both women and men. In the past, messages were woven into the beadwork by using specific colors and/or shapes. Today, most of those traditional symbols have disappeared as beadwork is predominantly being made for sale rather than for personal use. Many women in South Africa make beads as a means of survival. Although they are still using the traditional techniques and designs, most continue there craft to support themselves, as well as, their extended family and the families of others who have no income or whose adult members have died as a result of illness, often linked to Aids, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis.
All items sold on this website have been purchased from impoverished communities. Extending their markets and supporting their crafts helps in creating a better opportunity for their survival and a hope for the future of their children.