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Crafts that empower, uplift and inspire.
In November 2024 we were commissioned by Oceans Mall to make 3 large Christmas baubles and a giant snowman. The idea behind this commission was decoration for Oceans Mall for Christmas and to create employment for the crafters of Woza Moya.
The time frame for this project from start to finish was 4 weeks, which at the time seemed like an impossible feat, and any sane or normal business would have politely declined! But the opportunity was too good for Woza Moya to pass up. The opportunity to create work for crafters and do a pioneering project at the same time swayed us in the yes direction!
The scale of the balls was very large at 1.2 m, 900 cm and 600 cm respectively. Combing the internet, they look like they will be the largest beaded balls ever created!
The first challenge was to source the large polystyrene balls that would form the canvas on which we would bead. We were just about to give up as numerous calls to polystyrene businesses across the country resulted in the same response: that we were mad and no-one wanted to take on the job.
A big thank-you to the team at Polystyrene Centre in Pinetown who said yes to this crazy request and then proceeded to do it in record time, which was a week! While the balls were being hand carved, we were busy ordering and sourcing beads as no one had the quantities we needed.
Craft concept went above and beyond to get us the beads we required. We appreciate the incredible service we were given as they organised the right colour beads for us from across the country, again in record time.
Once we had the beads, they were given to the crafters to bead into strings that were then used to create the patterns on the giant baubles. The crafters did this in record time, and at this point we hadn’t even seen the size of the balls and couldn’t cut a pattern or make a concrete design.
The facts: 958 strands of 1.5m beads were made, just so you know the diameter of the large ball was 3.77m. We used 9800 beads. And 43 people contributed to the project.
The baubles were meant to made at Woza Moya, but no normal door would accommodate the biggest ball, so they were made in a garage offsite. The assembly took 3 weeks, and the team worked night and day to get the baubles beaded in time.
The baubles were delivered to Oceans Mall on the full moon, and the driver of the delivery van remarked that the baubles echoed the fullness of the moon.
The balls have been installed in the Platinum Walk and the Snowman is by the information desk downstairs should you wish to view them.
When installing them it was wonderful to hear and see customers stopping in their tracks to admire and gasp at sheer scale and beauty of the baubles. Words to describe them by the passing customers were: mesmerising, incredible, wow who are the artists?
The snowman did not disappoint either! A little girl waited patiently and was so excited as the snowman’s head was attached so she could get a photo with the surfer snowman!
Oceans Mall also commissioned a movie on the making of the baubles and the impact that the work has on crafters. The movie focusses on one of our long-term crafters Vamisile Gumede who has been a crafter with us for over 20 years.
Vamisile has looked after her severely disabled son, who is now 20 years old, while beading, and we have watched him grow up and seen the incredible care that Vamisile has given this beautiful boy!
In the earlier days she carried him on her back when she had to come in to submit her work and she did this right up until he was 15. We did manage to get him a wheelchair, which helped her, but the taxis do not take kindly to wheelchairs, so she made the very difficult journey from her home with him on her back!
One benefit of being a crafter is that mothers are able to earn an income while still being able to care for their children at home – not always easy feat but sometimes the only way women can earn an income.
We would have liked more time for this project, but we are very grateful to Oceans Mall for believing in us and for dreaming up a project of this scale that benefits the community! Giving Woza Moya the opportunity to attempt this groundbreaking project, a first for us, created employment opportunities for many crafters.
Thank- you
These are all the hands that were part of the creative process to make the biggest baubles!
Ayanda Khomo
Mandisa Mkhize
Nonjabulo
Anele Magaga
Nana Mhlongo
Bongiwe Blose
Sphamandla Mduli
Thembekile Dimba
Queeneth Ngcobo
Nokuthula Phewa
Lindeni Ngcobo
Winnie Nene
Zondeni Princess Shozi
Dudu Shozi
Lindiwe Ndiseni Mkhwanazi
Dumazile Nhlangulela
Thobeka Vilakazi
Sylvia Nxumalo
Nobuhle Ncube
Nokuphiwe Shange
Thandeka Lushozi
Annie Lushozi
Ntobeko Cele
Mbali Shozi
Zoleka Lushozi
Florence Nxumalo
Delisile Florence Maphumulo
Rachel Cele
Gladys Bonani Dladla
Nonhlanhla Ngcobo
Sheila Majola
Nontobeko Hlengwa
Vamisile Gumede
Nokuthula Maphanga
Ntombintombi Mwandla
Bester Simelane
Zodwa Madikizela
Gayle Essey
Lovell Southey
Lucille Plekker
Paula Thomson
Rene Robin
Jenny Simon
Thanks to :
Oceans Mall and the Social Pro team
Ryan Ramsamy
Rehana Polystyrene Centre
Craft Concepts
Carl Christianson – Sign Ads
Nick Van Heeswijk – Tonic design
Bruce Thomson
Duran – Delivery service
