World Culture Activity Video: South Africa

Be inspired by the artistic traditions of the Ndebele people!

Activity best for children age 3 and up

South Africa is the southernmost country of Africa. In South Africa, there are many different cultural traditions that are practiced in everyday life. One of those artistic traditions is the painted houses of the Ndebele people. The wall paintings are always done by the women, and this tradition and style are passed down in the families from generation to generation by the mothers. While the entire outside of the house is painted, the most intricate and colorful designs are saved for the front of the house. The paintings express an abstract meaning with no real reference to any specific characteristic of their homes. There are five main colors represented: red and dark red, yellow to gold, sky blue, green, and sometimes pink. They are painted with a white background and a black outline. Today, we are going to make geometric art pictures inspired by these painted houses.

Materials You’ll Need:

  • White paper or cardstock
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Black marker or paint
  • Colorful markers or paint

Directions

STEP 1
Use a ruler and pencil to help you make very straight shapes and outlines on your paper, or you can just draw the geometric shapes you want on to the paper.

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STEP 2
Use the black markers to make the outline of the shapes and then fill them in with a bright color. Be sure to leave some white space between your shapes.

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STEP 3
Hold up your picture and admire your Ndebele-inspired geometric art!

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