South Africa: Zulu women brewing beer. Coloured lithograph by G.F. Angas, 1849.

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<p>"The favourite drink of the Kafirs is an intoxicating liquor made of fermented millet, somewhat resembling beer, and called by them "outchualla". It is used on all festive occasions, especially at marriage ceremonies, dances and during the season of planting the crops of maize and millet. The scene on the accompanying plate represents a party of woman at the kraal of an Induna [chief] named Gudu, situated on the banks of the Tugala River, who are employed in making "outchualla" for the use of the kraal. The time is evening, when the rich mellow light of an African sunset bathes the landscape with its golden softness, and the hills beyond look intensely purple through the brilliancy of the atmosphere. The lofty trees to the right mark the source of the Tugala, the river which forms the boundary between Natal and the Zulu country. ... The large earthen jars over the fire contain the beer, which, after boiling, is set aside for some days to ferment. One woman is stirring the millet with a calabash spoon, while another is testing its quality in a little cup, a third woman is advancing with a basket of millet on her head, and a fourth is pouring out the liquor in waterprooof baskets. The scattered huts form a portion of Gudu's kraal, and around are store baskets for maize, broken jars, pumpkins, and other accessories of a Zulu kraal"--Angas, op. cit., text to pl. XXVI</p>

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South Africa: Zulu women brewing beer. Coloured lithograph by G.F. Angas, 1849.

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