Xhosa(Contemporary)

Beaded collar iNgqhosha

This collar is made out of glass beads and a mother-of-pearl button. The pearl serves as a clasp. The beads are threaded and woven together to form a flat, semi-circular beaded collar. 

Among the Xhosa culture, there is a specific necklace that indicates one's social status which is called iNgqhosha. A similar beaded collar(iNgqhosha) was worn by the late former South African president ''Nelson Mandela'', which somehow conveyed his royal status. To mark the social rank of an individual in society was based on the use of patterns and colors of beads.  However, this necklace is worn by both men and women in isiXhosa culture.