{"id":2491,"date":"2026-02-20T10:26:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T08:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?p=177795"},"modified":"2026-02-20T10:26:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T08:26:00","slug":"ifa-crafted-exhibition-celebrates-rural-kznsa-artisans-and-the-power-of-heritage-led-craft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/ifa-crafted-exhibition-celebrates-rural-kznsa-artisans-and-the-power-of-heritage-led-craft\/","title":{"rendered":"ifa Crafted Exhibition Celebrates Rural KZNSA Artisans and the Power of Heritage-Led Craft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Johannesburg, South Africa \u2013 The ifa crafted heritage collection is currently on display in an impactful exhibition at Art&amp;About in Sandton\u2019s Merchant Place.&nbsp; Hosted by KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA) in partnership with the FirstRand Foundation, the exhibition showcases the extraordinary skill and cultural legacy of rural KwaZulu-Natal\u2019s master crafters and will run until the end of April 2026.<\/p>\n<p>ifa crafted, meaning \u201cinheritance\u201d in isiZulu, embodies the concepts of indlalifa \u2013 those entrusted with passing down legacy \u2013 and ukuloba ngezandla (\u201cthinking with hands\u201d). Launched in 2025 by KZNSA with support from the FirstRand Foundation, the project has engaged over 80 master crafters from rural communities across KwaZulu-Natal, including Ixopo, Ntshongweni, Hlabisa, eManguzi, Rorke\u2019s Drift, Greytown, Cato Ridge, Mthwalume, Mbazwane, the Valley of a Thousand Hills, and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Through an intensive collaborative co-design process led by Angela Shaw (KZNSA), acclaimed beadwork artist Hlengiwe Dube, Gary Cotterell, and other contributing designers, rural KwaZulu-Natal artisans have reinterpreted age-old techniques across mediums including beading, telewire and wire weaving, ilala palm and grass weaving, tapestry, ceramics, wood carving, embroidery, and textile printing. The resulting collections elevate traditional craft into aspirational luxury homeware, d\u00e9cor, jewellery, and collectibles that honour cultural heritage while speaking confidently to contemporary global tastes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Several artisans attended the exhibition, sharing their personal stories and the depth of skill in their work:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Nomfundo Mkhize \u2013 beadwork and textile specialist from the Valley of a Thousand Hills, known for intricate patterns that weave personal and communal narratives into contemporary forms.<\/li>\n<li>Angeline Masuku \u2013 master ilala palm weaver from northern KwaZulu-Natal, whose tightly coiled baskets and vessels reflect generations of knowledge passed down in her community.<\/li>\n<li>Busisiwe Mayise \u2013 accomplished telewire weaver whose bold, colourful works transform recycled materials into vibrant statements of resilience and innovation.<\/li>\n<li>Sibusiso Mthembu \u2013 skilled wire artist who shapes metal into dynamic sculptures and functional objects that bridge rural tradition with urban sophistication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cifa crafted has opened doors we never imagined \u2013 from our rural homes to spaces like Sandton\u201d, reflects Busisiwe Mayise.&nbsp; \u201cSeeing people appreciate the stories in every weave has been truly special. This initiative has given us a platform to share our heritage while building sustainable futures for our families. We are grateful and proud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The project\u2019s impact reaches far beyond beautiful objects. By offering professional design collaboration, e-commerce access, high-profile exhibitions, and international market exposure, ifa crafted has delivered increased income, greater confidence, and a stronger professional identity for participants. It provides a replicable, ethical model for rural creative enterprise that balances innovation, heritage preservation, and inclusive economic growth in marginalised communities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInitiatives like ifa crafted demonstrate the profound transformative power of strategic partnerships in preserving South Africa\u2019s rich cultural heritage while creating sustainable pathways for economic empowerment,\u201d says Kone Gugushe, Head of Social Investing, FirstRand.&nbsp; \u201cBy uplifting rural talent and ensuring that ancient knowledge continues to thrive in contemporary contexts, we are investing not just in artisans, but in the enduring legacy of communities for generations to come. We are deeply proud to support this vital work and to celebrate the remarkable artisans alongside KZNSA,\u201d concludes Gugushe.<\/p>\n<p>For more information, artisan stories, collections, and purchasing opportunities, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ifacrafted.com\/\">www.ifacrafted.com<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Images:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_177796\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-177796\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?attachment_id=177796\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-177796 size-full lazyload\" alt width=\"1024\" height=\"595\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ifa-Craft-Exhibition-Panel-scaled.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/xIfa-Craft-Exhibition-Panel-scaled.jpg.pagespeed.ic.l5jpdq81FD.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ifa-Craft-Exhibition-Panel-625x363.jpg 625w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ifa-Craft-Exhibition-Panel-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ifa-Craft-Exhibition-Panel-768x446.jpg 768w\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/595;\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-177796\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ifa Craft Exhibition panel: L to R: Ben-Carl Havemann, CEO &amp; Co-Founder of Kamers Makers, Angela Shaw \u2013 Executive Director KZNSA, Mpumi Mayisa \u2013 Curator, Art Advisor, Writer &amp; Researcher, Hlengiwe Dube \u2013 Internationally Acclaimed South African Artist, Karabo Morule, Founder of Capital Art. Photo: Supplied by Client<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_177797\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-177797\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?attachment_id=177797\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-177797 size-large lazyload\" alt width=\"880\" height=\"1250\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crafter-1-880x1250.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crafter-1-880x1250.jpg 880w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crafter-1-440x625.jpg 440w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crafter-1-211x300.jpg 211w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Crafter-1-768x1091.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/xCrafter-1-scaled.jpg.pagespeed.ic.-q2MG4xLFE.jpg 721w\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 880px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 880\/1250;\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-177797\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angeline Masuku \u2013 master ilala palm weaver from northern KwaZulu-Natal Photo: Supplied by Client<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>Links:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/ifa crafted Exhibition Celebrates Rural KZNSA Artisans and the power of Heritage-Led Craft\/2\/\">Boilerplate and Editor\u2019s Notes<\/a><\/strong>.<br \/><strong>More Info on <a href=\"https:\/\/ifacrafted.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ifa crafted Exhibition Celebrates Rural KZNSA Artisans and the power of Heritage-Led Craft<\/a> here:<\/strong><br \/><strong>X<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/fyfeturck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/x.com\/fyfeturck<\/a><br \/><strong>LinkedIn<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alison-fyfe-turck-19377169\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alison-fyfe-turck-19377169<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/save-with-myprs-monthly-flat-fee\/\">CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-pagination pagination\">Pages: <span class=\"post-page-numbers current\" aria-current=\"page\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>1<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/ifa-crafted-exhibition-celebrates-rural-kznsa-artisans-and-the-power-of-heritage-led-craft\/2\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>2<\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/ifa-crafted-exhibition-celebrates-rural-kznsa-artisans-and-the-power-of-heritage-led-craft\/\" target=\"_blank\">Free Press Release Submission<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/MyZA.co.za\/events\">Click HERE<\/a> to Advertise your Upcoming Event\/Match\/Conference\/Stage Show\/Performance for FREE.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Johannesburg, South Africa \u2013 The ifa crafted heritage collection is currently on display in an impactful exhibition at Art&amp;About in Sandton\u2019s Merchant Place.&nbsp; Hosted by KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA) in partnership with the FirstRand Foundation, the exhibition showcases the extraordinary skill and cultural legacy of rural KwaZulu-Natal\u2019s master crafters and will run until the &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[401],"tags":[406,403,405],"class_list":["type-post","category-mypr","tag-africa","tag-entertainment","tag-myprafrica","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2491\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myza.co.za\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}