The Thembu -
THEIR BEADWORK, SONGS AND DANCES
JOAN A. BROSTER
Joan Broster neι Clarke, was
born in Engcobo Transkei in 1916 and grew up there. Her parents James
and Beatrice Clarke were traders. In 1938
she received a diploma from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. During the war
she served as a nurse with the South African Military Nursing Service. Between
the years 1952 and 1966, Joan and her husband Broughton Broster, ran the Qebe
Trading Store at Qebe, situated between Qebe proper and Engcobo. As a
qualified nurse, Joan helped out at the nearby hospital located at the All
Saints Anglican Mission .
Detailed drawing of 'The Thembu'
While working at Qebe,
Joan Broster developed a
keen interest towards the customs of the Qaba people, a local Thembu
clan. She documented the importance of traditional beadwork, which
resulted in the publication of four books about Xhosa and related
peoples. The books were titled:
Amagqirha -
Red
Blanket Valley - The
Thembu and
African
Elegance (a shared venture with Alice Mertens).
Joan Broster - Thembu People
Joan Broster was a
recognized authority of Tembu traditional life and the importance of
their beadwork. She explained beadwork was almost a form or
literature when saying:
From birth to old age the
beads tell a story and blend subtly into the social structure. No facet
or phase of life is omitted and each colour has a symbolic significance.
The beads are used not only for adornment but also to portray tribal
traditions. Being illiterate, the people use the beads as a means of
communication...
Joan Broster assembled over
6000 pieces of Thembu beadwork and costume and many items from her
collection are illustrated in this book. Over time - smaller collections
were selected and sold to the Rand Afrikaans Museum - The Old Post
Office Museum in Umtata and the Transkei University. The resulting
distribution went a long way to ensure that a significant part of Xhosa
culture and custom has been preserved.
and
through 