Ukhamba (Traditional calabash)

 

Traditional Zulu pot made of clay.

This image shows the calabashes that are utilized in my home during ceremonies and rituals. Umqombothi, a traditional Zulu beer, is transferred into calabashes designed for serving and consuming a sorgham-based beer that is manufactured in larger containers using inkezo (a calabash curved from a pumpkin). It is believed that to prove there is no poison or ritual taking place that the guests are unaware of, it is thought that the family member serving beer must drink in front of the recipients first.  Calabashes are made from clay extracted from the ground where streams or rivers once flowed.