Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
The South African High Commission in Lagos will launch, during the month of December, what promises to be one of the more significant South African artifact exhibitions to be held on an international scale. The assemblage of works offers viewers an insight into a facet of African history which previously has not been properly explored - the secret language of symbolism encoded in beadwork during preliterate years.
In welcoming the launch of this important exhibition Foreign Minister Nzo said "This heritage belongs to all South Africans and we are proud that our Embassies will be the window through which this will be exposed internationally." The exhibition, backed by South Africa's national telecommunications company Telkom, is entitled "USIKO - Africa's Treasure" and comprises over 30 framed beaded original works of art created by various disadvantaged communities representative of several different tribes.
The creation of the beaded items was inspired by photographs taken of antique South African artifacts, part of a collection of over 5 000 undocumented items, which are stored in London's British Museum of Mankind. The exhibition, through illuminating captions, provides viewers with an opportunity to explore the fascinating web of culture, history and psychology that lies behind African symbols and the symbol system. The USIKO collection was originally launched in South Africa in July 1997 whereafter, in partnership with the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, a national road show to all major centres was held in community-based libraries. In one year over a hundred thousand school-going children were exposed, for the first time, to their unique cultural heritage. The exhibition was supported with the flighting of a video which highlights the symbolism in ancient beadwork.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with Telkom, is committed to exposing this rich South African cultural heritage internationally. To this end, Lagos will be the first city outside South Africa to host the USIKO exhibition, whereafter during 1999 it will be travelling to the following areas : Jakarta (February), Chicago (March), Ankara (April), Turkey Region (May and June), New York (July and August), Tokyo (September), Milan (October) and Rome in November.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFARIS PRETORIA 3 DECEMBER 1998