A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.
You need to be a member of Adorned Histories to add comments!
Request your copy of our newsletter.
If you would like to receive our newsletter
Comments
There are lots more photos of Basotho objects posted on the Morija Museum website at www.morija.co.ls/museum/collections/basotho-objects/
Here is a photo of female initiates wearing this type of skirt...
I really enjoy this piece. Never saw one.. Very nice.
Considering it is such a tiny institution, the Morija Museum has an amazing collection. I only wish they had better facilities. This skirt was just hanging on the wall with no glass between the viewer and the artifact. The museum has very little money for conservation, and the museum exhibits are done with minimal display tools.
By the way, the museum puts on a wonderful festival every year with singing, dancing and cultural events. They have made it their mission to also preserve intangible culture, and support many educational programs for Basotho youth. If you are ever in nearby South Africa, it is worth making a side trip to Morija for the annual festival.
I give them allot of credit for trying. Many bigger museums are in the same boat and are always finding money first for the building and housing etc but now are not collecting as much. so they are right to try and preserve the culture for future generations.. Many museums in the west wont even move on anything unless they get all the salaries paid, building grants and money to keep in running for many years.. At least this is a very good first step because the interest to preserve culture is the most important part of it. Many donors that do these big fund raising offers or donations want name in lights and the point is to have the most significant views by the most people as a learning tool. They could have easily raised money for the building and fancy displays first (where the most array of hope is to get marketing advantages and viewers seeking to donate ) but then the focus is shifted to that and less on the material culture and anthropology of it. In time when younger members make more money, hopefully the display and conservation will come next.