QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5692

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; 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:

10.0183

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

2010:123.3

Object label:

Mandela Long Walk to Freedom
Melzina Mazibuko
Newcastle, KWAZulu-Natal, South Africa
2010
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2010:123.3

Essay:

Melzina Mazibuko is a charter member of the Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning “Fountain”) group. The Isiphethu began in l999 when a group of women from Madadeni and Osizweni came together to embroider appliqué images for a Woman’s Day project organized by the Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle. This project inspired the women to continue creating and a workshop program was launched in 2000. The group continues to work under the umbrella of the gallery and is encouraged to attend mentorship programs where business development and quality control are discussed. They have exhibited nationally and internationally and won many awards.

Melzina Mazibuko says of this piece:
Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Mandela make people proud to be who they are street sweepers to royalty are drawn into his extraordinary aura. Mandela made the idea possible that between black and white people their would be a peaceful growing together. Mandela saw his release not as an end point, but a the beginning of critical phase in SA march to freedom. Mandela speaks to the people that "I greet you in the name of peace."

Depicted in this piece are Mandela, Sisulu, Tutu, and Tamba at Robbin Island doing manual labor such as breaking stones.

Quilt's title:

Mandela Long Walk to Freedom

Quilt top made by:

Mazibuko, Melzina

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Newcastle

Where the quilt was made, province:

KWAZulu-Natal

Where the quilt was made, country:

South Africa

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2010

Why was the quilt made?

Personal income

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's city:

Newcastle

Quiltmaker's country:

South Africa

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

Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning fountain)

Where does/did the group meet?

Newcastle, South Africa.

What are the main activities of the group?

Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning “Fountain”) began in l999 when a group of women from Madadeni and Osizweni came together to embroider appliqué images for a Woman’s Day project organized by the Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle. This project inspired the women to continue creating and a workshop program was launched in 2000. The group continues to work under the umbrella of the gallery and is encouraged to attend mentorship programs where business development and quality control are discussed. They have exhibited nationally and internationally and won many awards. Not only has this project earned the women income but it has given them a voice. They embroider stories of their communal heritage, legends, historical incidents and daily activities. Each woman creates her own design, chooses her own subject, and decides on the colors to fashion fabric ‘storybooks’. Their wall-hangings and tapestries are sold in the Carnegie Art Galleryand are sought after by locals and visitors alike.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

12 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

21 3/4"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Black; Blue; Green; Orange; Red; Yellow

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

isiphethu Original African Creations Hand Embroidered & Made in South Africa

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on border

Describe the quilt's layout:

Wholecloth

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc); Embroidery

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Edges turned in/ no separate binding

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

No filling

How are the layers held together?

Not quilted

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

'Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Mandela make people proud to be who they are street sweepers to royalty are drawn into his extraordinary aura. Mandela made the idea possible that between black and white people their would be a peaceful growing together. Mandela saw his release not as an end point, but a the beginning of critical phase in SA march to freedom. Mandela speaks to the people that "I greet you in the name of peace." " Long Walk to Freedom" Mandela, Sisulu, Tutu, Tamba at Robbin Island doing manual labor such as breaking stones." Signed on the bottom front by the artist : "Melzina M." Memory cloth made by Melzina M. in South Africa. Small colorful wallhanging on black cotton ground. Embroidery and applique on the cloth depict a scene in the Robben Island Prison of Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Tutu and Tamba breaking rocks, doing manual labor. There are prison buildings in the background. The cloth is embellished with beads.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

From the Carnegie Gallery in Newcastle, South Africa

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees