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Anti-Apartheid Portraits

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-3725

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; South Africa Quilt History Project; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

04.0192

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2004:134.1

Object label:

Portraits of South African Black Women of the Anti-Apartheid Struggle
Fina Nkosi
Soweto, South Africa
2004
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2004:134.1
Museum purchase as part of a South African Cultural Heritage Project

Essay:

The quilt incorporates portraits of black South African women who the artist felt were instrumental in the struggle for freedom in South Africa. Depicted, left to right and with artist's original spelling in parantheses, are: (row one) Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Adelaide Tambo (Addelatte Thamo), Lindiwe [no last name give, but likely Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu], Thandi Modise; (row two) Nokukhauya Huthuli, Lillian Masediba Ngoyi (Lillian Mosediba Ngoyi), Princess Constance Magogo (Princess Contance Magogo), Dudu Masondo, Stella Sigcau (Stell Sigcawu); (row three) Dipuwo Hanni, Florence Mkhize (Florance Mkmize) Charlotte Maxeke, Dr. Ellen Khuzwayo, Princess Irene (Princess Irene); and (row four) Marry [sic] Nontolwane, Lillian Ntshang, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, Rose Givamanda, and Kate [no last name given, but likely Kate Molale].

Biographies of many of these remarkable women can be found at Imbokodo: Women's Struggle in South Africa (http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/womens-struggle/biographies.htm)

Fina Nkosi is affiliated with the Zamani Quilting Sisters, a group of women in Soweto, South Africa who, facing the double exploitation of racism and sexism, formed a self-help organization and women's resource center in 1987.

The quilt was acquired as part of a South African Traditional Arts project component of a larger South African National Cultural Heritage Training and Technology Program (SANCH) with grant support from the Andrew J. Mellon Fund and Ford Foundation. Led by the MSU Museum, the MSU African Studies Program, and MSU's MATRIX: The Center for Humane Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences Online, the bin-national project was conducted from 1997-2003 in collaboration with a consortium of other U.S. and South African cultural, educational, and government organizations and units. The traditional arts project component worked with South African colleagues to document and present South Africa's extraordinarily rich, diverse craft activity, especially that of the New South Africa.

The quilt was previously displayed at an exhibition of the Craft Council of South, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2004.

By Marsha MacDowell

Quilt's title:

Anti-Apartheid Portraits

Subject of the quilt:

Heroes of the anti-apartheid movement

Quilt top made by:

Nkosi, Fina

Quilted by:

Nkosi, Phina

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Soweto

Where the quilt was made, country:

South Africa

Time period:

2000-2025

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Soweto

Quiltmaker's country:

South Africa

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Zamani Quilting Sisters

Where does/did the group meet?

Soweto, South Africa.

What are the main activities of the group?

A co-op based in Soweto, South Africa

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

77 1/2'

How long is the quilt?

83"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Brown; Green; Red

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Damage:

Stains

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Phina Nkosi

Method used to make the inscription:

Ink

Location of inscription:

on border

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Number of quilt blocks:

20

Size of quilt blocks:

8 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Sashing width:

3"

Number of borders:

3

Describe the borders:

3rd border (outer) - solid blue - varies from about 2 1/2" - 3"; 2nd border (middle) - solid black - varies from 2 3/4" - 3 1/2"; 1st border (inner) - solid red - varies 2.63" - 3"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton; Cotton or polyester blend

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc)

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Back turned to front

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

greater than one inch

How wide is the binding (measure on the top only)?

2"

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How thick is the quilt?

Medium (3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

3

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

4

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

In-the-ditch

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

The quilt incorporates portraits of black South African women who the artist felt were instrumental in the struggle for freedom in South Africa. Depicted, left to right and with artist's original spelling in parentheses, are: (row one) Winne Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Adelaide Tambo (Addelatte Thamo), Lindiwe [no last name give, but likely Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu], Thandie Modise; (row two) Nokukhauya Huthuli, Lillian Masediba Nhoyi (Lillian Mosediba Ngoyi), Princess Contance Magogo (Princess Contance Magogo), Dudu Masondo, Stella Sigcau (Stell Sigcawu); (row three) Dipuwo Hanni, Florence Mkhhize (Florance Mkmize), Charlotte Maxeke, Dr. Ellen Khuzwayo, Princess Irene (Princess Irene); and (row four) Marry [sic] Nontolwane, Lillian Ntshang, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, Rose Givamanda, and Kate [no last name given, but likely Kate Molale].

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

This quilt was included in a national exhibition of crafts shown at the Craft Council of South, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2004. It was acquired by the MSU Museum during a bi-national South African Cultural Heritage Project for which the MSU Museum was a lead US partner. Quilts and Human Rights, MSU Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

More about the Zamani Quilting Sisters can be found at: http://www.polity.org.za/html/people/kuzwayo_nek.html?rebookmark=1Zamani Soweto Sisters

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Research trip to South Africa by Marsha MacDowell and C. Kurt Dewhurst., 6/21/2004, Craft Council of South Africa for $600,

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Designed the pattern

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

This quilt features portraits of women important in the anti-apartheid struggle. Machine appliqued portraits of women important to the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. left to right: Row 1: Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Addeelattte Thambo, Lindiwe, Thandi Modise Row 2: Nokukhauya Huthuli, Lilliam Masediba Ngoy, Princess Constantine Magogo, Dudu Masondo, Stella Slgcawu Row 3: Dipuwo Hanni, Florance Mkmize, Charlotte Maxeke, Dr. Ellen Khuzwayo, Princess Irenne Row 4: Marry Nontolwane, Lilliam Ntshang, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, Rose Givamanda, Kate

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum

Cite this Quilt

Nkosi, Fin. Anti-Apartheid Portraits. 2000-2025. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; South Africa Quilt History Project; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-3725. Accessed: 03/28/24

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