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Nguni Handbags and Accessories
Nguni Cow Guide
| Nguni Cow is the oldest surviving breed of domesticated cattle on the planet. Their origins are in Africa and thy are at least 6000 years old. Striking drawings of Nguni are found inside Egyptian pyramids, where you see them pulling a hand plough or being presented as a royal gift. Nguni cattle lend their name from the different Nguni tribes that live in Southern Africa. |
The ancestors of the present day Nguni cattle were brought into the country by the southward migration of African peoples from the central lakes area of Africa. Nguni cattle are still found wherever the descendants of the original groups of the Nguni tribe settled, namely Swaziland, Zululand and Mozambique.
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Nguni Color Patterns
| The most distinctive feature of a Nguni hide is its flamboyantly differentiated colour patterns. The colours can vary within hundreds of different shades of red, brown, black and white spots and stripes. More than 130 colour combinations are known which are roughly classified into 90 colour patterns. |
In the past few years the interest in the Nguni hides has grown tremendously. International furniture designers, interior decorators, hotels, lodges and fashion designers are seeking the striking multi-coloured hides. They are used as rugs, throws, carpets, furniture upholstery, handbags, wallets, and other accessories. |
Curious to learn…?
The famous many-coloured shields of 19th century Zulu warriors were made of Nguni hides. Each regiment had a particular skin pattern to identify its members. Black in a shield signifies youth, white age and experience, and red could only be used for married or mixed regiments.
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