Painted House of the Ndebele
The Ndebele people were formidable warriors who often subdued the smaller chiefdoms and assimilated them into Ndebele society. Intermarriages ensued and cultural exchanges happened. It is believed that early Ndebele house structure and house-painting strategies were adopted as a result of these relationships. According to a few sources, the Ndebeles suffered a horrible defeat in a war against the Dutch-speaking settlers – the Boers, just before the start of the twentieth century. Forced into an oppressive life, the Ndebele people started using expressive symbols to secretly communicate with each other. These paintings became an expression of both cultural resistance and continuity. The Boer farmers did not understand the meaning and viewed this cultural art as decorative and harmless and thus allowed it to continue.
deangichukie
3/20/20233 min read
