We share with you images from a time now gone. Over the years the owners of Galerie Ezakwantu have provided both private and public collections in Africa, England and the United States, with complete Ricksha costumes collected in earlier times. Kindly contact us for the availability of these rarities.

The first ten Ricksha's imported to Natal arrived in 1892. They were imported by sugar magnate Marshall Campbell. His  daughter Killie Campbell, would later establish the world's largest library collection of Africana, as well as a world class museum collection of ethnic artifacts. Her collections were preserved and may be accessed by appointment at the "The Killie Campbell Library" in Durban.

Mignon Herring - Killie Campbell - Daphne Stutt

 Almost overnight and to everyone's disbelief , the "Ricksha" became Durban's main mode of transportation, both in the city center and docks. By 1902, 2170 ricksha's crowded the streets, all pulled by what was literally an army of registered natives. A proposal was made that these pullers were to wear uniforms. A law was passed to this end, apparently so that the police could recognize pullers from other natives. The uniform was an ordinary unbleached calico suit, trimmed with a single band of red braid.

On a heartbeat, the pullers took their new attire further, adding extra braids and wearing bangles of plaited reeds with seeds which rattled upon white painted lower legs. Two horns were added to the pullers brow,  intended to show the man to be as strong as an ox. The convenience of movement had become the name of the game.

By 1918 and due to the advent of the motor car, fierce competition to the ricksha had surfaced. Horse drawn rickshas had also become popular. As a result, pullers came under the constant threat of various bye-laws. Strikes occurred, as well as public petitions in support of the services which ricksha pullers rendered.

 Durban traffic had also become a problem. By 1930 it was unbearable, with over 9000 motor vehicles and an  excess of 10000  horse drawn vehicles on the city streets. A number of trams and buses added to ricksha competition. Still the convenience of offering short journeys in and around the city center kept them somewhat popular.  

But the clock ticked on. By 1940 less than 900 ricksha's were left to work the streets. In an attempt to boost popularity, pullers attire had become so outrageous that tourists flocked to have  holiday photograph pictures taken. Feathers, quills, traditional beadwork and other exceptional ornamentation had become the norm.

 By this time two distinct groups of pullers had evolved. Those pullers working the docks and general passengers in the city were virtually all of Mpondo origin. Those who applied their services to the tourist trade hailed from the "Mandlakazi Clan" of the Nongoma area in northern Zululand.

The decoration of ricksha pullers became world renown and was a uniquely South African phenomenon . National Geographic Magazine brought Ricksha's to the attention of the world scene.  At the same time, the Encyclopedia Britannica referred to "Ricksha Boys" as Durban's tourist attraction to the outside world.

As the market changed, pullers succumbed to the absence of their former white clientele. Ricksha's became known as the poor mans taxis. Pullers abandoned the fiercely competitive scene in droves. Those who stayed on gave fun rides along the beachfront to tourists.

From the 1950's, the ricksha's presence in the tourist trade became an enterprise in it's own right. The Mandlakazi beachfront pullers had now adorned themselves entirely with beaded vests, skirts, aprons, belts, sheep skin anklets and other accessories, virtually covering their entire bodies. The headdresses become enormous, incorporating two to four painted ox horns each.

According to public records, by 1968 there were only 260 ricksha's in operation, 186 in 1970 and 90 in 1971. At this time the very last of the Mpondo pullers working around the market area were reported. By 1975 there were 29 ricksha's left working the beachfront area. By 1980 10 remained, virtually all in poor condition.

Southern African native beadwork dress had not only emerged from a century of transformation, but blended into the city of Durban to become part of cosmopolitan life. Nowhere in the world was this duplicated.