Zulu Pottery

Traditional Zulu pottery is a favorite at Native. We have had the the honor host some of the best Zulu potters have exhibit, demonstrate and teach at Native: Jabu Nala, Ncamisile Nala, Thembi Nala, and Clive Sithole. These artists have been at Native many times and also have taught workshops at Native. We hope to have additional workshop in the future. The photos below are of of Thembi Nala, Jabu Nala and Clive Sithole working on clay pottery at Native.
View additional Zulu hand coiled pottery at Native.

Large Ukhamba Pot by Jabu Nala
Brewing beer has a long tradition with the Zulu people of South Africa. The beverage is traditionally prepared by women with specific types of clay pottery.  Traditional Zulu beer pots are called "ukhamba" and are made of clay using the hand coiling method with no wheel. These pots are made for brewing and serving a sorgham-based beer. The drinking and serving of this beer involves a ritual that remembers and honor their ancestors. Read more about the traditions of ukhamba and the beer ceremony in
Zulu Beer Vessels: In the Twentieth Century by Frank Jolles

Zulu Nguni Bull by Jabu Nala

The Zulu name Nguni cow is inala, or ‘abundance’. The Nguni cattle are indigenous of South Africa and have spiritual importance in the Zulu culture.

Abundant Herds: A Celebration of the Nguni Cattle of the Zulu People by Marguerite Poland and David Hammond-Tooke and illustrated by Leigh Voigt

Traditional Zulu pottery is hand built of coils. Designs are applied by incised and/or raised patterns. The common patterns are braids, zigzags, triangles, raised dots and linear designs. After the drying, the pots are hand polished with smooth stones, no glazes are used  The pots are then fired in an open pit. The resulting colors range from terracotta, terracotta with fires clouds (black spots) or completely black. Additional polishing after the firing is down on black pots with a wax black shoe polish. Read more about Zulu pottery
and the Nala family in Zulu Pottery by Elizabeth Perrill

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