Minneapolis Institute of Art

Tobacco pouch

Xhosa artist

Medium

Plant fibers, cotton, beads, buttons

Culture

Xhosa

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Beadwork throughout Africa creates a sense of cultural identity. This pouch has a distinct color choice and design with a band of repeating blue, white, and red diamonds, as well as horizontal stripes and tassels that were characteristic of Xhosa beadwork around 1900. South African Xhosa people believe that beads create a link between the living and the ancestors, adding a spiritual significance. This is particularly relevant for a tobacco pouch like this one, because smoking is not only a recreational activity but also part of rituals that connected the participants with the spirit world.

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