The Ndebele are most noted for their arts and crafts and are best known for their vibrant house painting and intricate beadwork. They originated from the Nguni people, who make up two thirds of the black population of South Africa.
The Ndebele people were fierce warriors but were defeated by the Boers in 1883 and were forced into an oppressive life. House painting became a form of expression during these difficult times as well as means of communicating. The Boer saw it as a harmless cultural expression and allowed the Ndebele to continue, not knowing the true and sometimes rebellious meaning behind the symbols.
House painting is always done by the women of the community and they pass down the tradition from mother to mother. A well painted home is a sign of a good wife and mother. The women used this form of artistic to expression to communicate with other households, express their values, their emotions, prayers, identity and to announce marriages in the family.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/claudevoyage/8951872578
Traditionally natural pigment was used resulting in colours such as yellow ochre, black charcoal and other earthy tones. The homes are painted with limestone wash to create a striking contrast. They painted it all by using their fingers to create geometrical patterns. Each symbol carrying its own meaning. Walls were resurfaced after summer rains washed away the natural paint. It became a way for them to preserve their cultural identity.
As technology advanced so did their tools. They created brushes from bundled twigs and feathers and incorporated vibrant colours, such as reds, blues, greens, yellows and sometimes pink into their designs. Due to this the work became faster and the designs more complex, but the approach remained the same; black outlines, on whitewash walls, filled with colour.
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References
https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/09/the-painted-houses-of-ndebeles.html
https://www.apsaidal.com/ndebele-houses/
https://www.exploring-africa.com/en/zimbabwe/ndebele/ndebele-people
http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_ndebele.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndebele_house_painting