Worn with Meaning

Regalia Across South Africa’s Cultures

Heritage Day calls for us not just to revel in and recognise South Africa’s diverse cultures and people, but to learn more about our own identities and others. Each year, we proudly don our traditional attire, communicating where we come from and where we are going. Fashion serves as a form of self-expression and self-concept, and traditional dress is no different. At its core, it showcases culture and lineage, as well as status, milestones and your role in society.

Hats can articulate marital status; skirts can signal maturity and initiation; a blanket serves not only to provide warmth and protection but as a marker of identity. Such traditional accessories are not just finishing touches but objects of meaning, memory and membership. Here is a breakdown of some of South Africa’s cultural regalia, some you’ve seen, maybe even worn, yet might not know much about or how they exist today.

The Zulu’s isicholo

The Ndebele’s idzila

The Zulu’s iBheshu

The Xhosa’s iqhiya

The Swati’s lihiya

The Swati’s emafahlawane

The Basotho’s mokorotlo

The Pedi’s ntepa and lebole

The Tswana’s mogagolwane

The Tsonga’s xibelani

The Venda’s mapala

Respectively these accessories and garments exists as living heritage, reflecting culture as well as traditional handcrafts and art forms. While some are no longer worn and others have found modern interpretations and new meaning, we see how traditional dress can evolve without disappearing  entirely, keeping the culture, which evolves as much as we do, alive today.