From Ethnic to National Cloth: The Diverse Nature of the Tshivenḓa Ṅwenda

Abstract

In times past, the Tshivenḓa traditional cloth called Ṅwenda was associated with backwardness, stupidity, and had the Vhavenḓa women undermined for being ‘too rural’. Consequently, many dumped their traditional attire for other clothes to march with the times. Recently, Ṅwenda has been drawing attention from both the Vhavenḓa men and women and other ethnic groups because of the uniqueness and beauty of its embroidery. This article aimed to investigate the reason(s) Ṅwenda recently gained prominence and appreciation among the Vhavenḓa and other ethnic groups. The article adopted the qualitative approach and the exploratory design to collect data on the diverse nature and function of Ṅwenda. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen purposively selected designers from six villages in Venḓa, including the Ṱhohoyanḓou Flea Market in the Limpopo Province and three townships in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Two tailors of Miṅwenda were selected from each of the aforementioned villages and townships. Undergirded by the Appreciative and Naturalistic Inquiries, the study also relied on the Inductive Thematic Analysis method for data analysis. It was found that Ṅwenda is used for special occasions such as weddings, parties, graduation ceremonies, and other social gatherings. Ṅwenda was also used to cover chairs, tables, and to decorate gowns, cushions, lampshades, bags, bedspreads or duvet covers, among other things. The article recommends the consideration of the role and significance of Tshivenḓa traditional attires in the ongoing discourses on the consolidation and traditionalisation of African identity as well as women’s empowerment initiatives in the postcolonial context.