Rueben has Parkinson's and his ability to weave baskets (which he self learned while recuperating from Tuberculosis in a very long hospital stay) is limited.   Because he learned how to weave baskets by taking other baskets apart he developed his own very personal style of weaving, totally different from all others.  In the last few years Ruben has cut the number of baskets he made down by half.  He has attempted to start a school to teach other weavers his unique style, however as of this writing he hadn't successfully taught anyone (or perhaps it was that his students didn't have the patience) to weave in a fashion similar to his.  PLEASE NOTE:  in June 2007, Rueben passed away of complications from Tuberculosis.  He had a variety of TB that (at the time) was antibiotic resistant.  As luck would have it, several weeks after his death, trials for a NEW antibacterial drug for this variety of TB was started in South Africa.  In the days following his death, his baskets increased in value 10 fold in Durban, South Africa.  We no longer have any baskets available for sale of Reuben's.  Those lucky enough to own one of his baskets know that no one will ever make a basket like Rueben did...  he will be missed. 

Typically all baskets produced by everyone (American Indians, South Americans, Asians, Africans, Etc.) have a smooth side and a rough side. Functional baskets like Zulu baskets have a smooth side on the outside and rough side on the inside.  Purely decorative baskets have smooth side on the inside and rough side on the outside, especially for bowls and platter shaped baskets. Rueben's baskets are smooth on both sides.  His technically is more difficult to accomplish and takes 3-4 times more time to weave similar sized baskets.  Currently he is the only weaver who has mastered this technique, although we have one other master weaver (Busi, Scott's favorite weaver) who is self learning this unique style! (and her baskets are INCREDIBLY affordable right now!)  (Busi passed away from Complications of AIDS in 2004).

Rueben's homestead is not far from the town of Hlabisa, one of the major center of Zulu basket weaving district.  Rueben has won the South Africa National Best Artist award twice. The most recent in 2004. Rueben is married with two wives. His second wife is also a weaver.  He owns many cattle and is very respected with the Zulu nation. 

Rueben Ndwandwe

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A beautiful all black Isichumo style (water container basket) by Beauty Ngxongo.  Beauty is 54 years old, born in 1952 (or '53) in Kranskop, KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa.  There are only a select few Zulu weavers that we know of that are capable of weaving these uniquely shaped amazing water-tight baskets - and only one of TWO willing to weave them!  Beauty is a World Class Master weaver and this basket is currently on loan to the New York MET Museum, African wing and is on display.  See it here!  Beauty learned basket making by one of the most celebrated weavers in the last one hundred years (Laurentia Dlamini who turns 70 this year - she was one of the women who helped revive the craft back in 1970).  Beauty has won the South African National Best Artist award.  Her works (baskets) are published in MANY books and magazines, is in the permanent collection of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, is represented in all the major South African Museums including the South African National Gallery in Cape Town.   She has one daughter, Edna, who is also a master weaver.  They live in the REMOTE hills of Hlabisa in an area called the stairs (about 6,000 feet above sea level and with STUNNING views of the surrounding hills and valleys).   Regrettably she is HIV positive and while we will treasure every moment we have, we're not sure how long she will remain healthy.  Upcoming show at the San Francisco de Young Museum. 

Beauty Ngxongo