. Annals of the South African Museum = Annale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum. Natural history. SOME NGUNI CRAFTS: SKIN-WORKING TECHNOLOGY 351 driven into slits made around the edge of the skin (Champion [1835-9] 1967: 43; Angas 1849, pi. 21; fieldwork KwaZulu, 1969-71). Once thus cured the hide could be stored until further work on it was convenient. Cleaning For cleaning off any remaining flesh or blood, the cured hide was usually again pegged to the ground (Champion [1835-9] 1967: 43; fieldwork KwaZulu 1969-71). It could also be stretched and pegged to the ground on either side of a framewor
. Annals of the South African Museum = Annale van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum. Natural history. SOME NGUNI CRAFTS: SKIN-WORKING TECHNOLOGY 351 driven into slits made around the edge of the skin (Champion [1835-9] 1967: 43; Angas 1849, pi. 21; fieldwork KwaZulu, 1969-71). Once thus cured the hide could be stored until further work on it was convenient. Cleaning For cleaning off any remaining flesh or blood, the cured hide was usually again pegged to the ground (Champion [1835-9] 1967: 43; fieldwork KwaZulu 1969-71). It could also be stretched and pegged to the ground on either side of a framework consisting of a cross-bar supported by two approximately metre-high forked sticks (Fynn [1824-61] 1950: 273), or stretched and tied to stout pegs that raised it off the ground (Vaughan-Kirby 1918: 36-37) (Fig. 27). Some prac- titioners soaked the skin before starting the process of scraping (-phala) with a metal axe- or adze-blade {izembe, imbaza) or rough stone, but all kept the skin moistened while working (Fynn [1824-61] 1950: 273; Vaughan-Kirby 1918: 37; Bryant 1949: 403; Tugela Ferry, 1969). On weak skins, such as sheepskin, scraping was less vigorous. Scraping also reduced the thickness of the hide. It was a laborious process that required special skill to avoid damaging the hide with the sharp metal tools (Reed 1972: 53).. Fig. 27. Skin-worker scraping a stretched skin with an indlwandlwa; Natal, nineteenth century. (Mariannhill Mission.) Softening and currying When cleaned, the flesh side of strong skins and hides was scraped back and forth with thorny aloe (umhlaba) leaves or with a special spiked tool {indlwandlwa or isihlabe) consisting of nails bound together or fixed to a wooden base (Fynn. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original South African Museum. Cape Town : The Museum
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
