Ndebele men
The traditional dress for Ndebele men is not as colourful as that of the women. The main item of clothing for men is a breast-plate or “iporiyana”, which hangs from the neck. It is often decorated with beads around the top and is made from animal skin. The “iporiyana” is a symbol of manhood and is given to a young boy by his father after he has undergone initiation.
Ndebele men also wear animal skin head bands and ankle bands. To keep warm, they wear an animal skin ‘“karos” around their shoulders. Animal skin traditionally played an important role in men’s dress because each Ndebele group is associated with a different animal. For rituals and ceremonies, Ndebele men wear ornaments made for them by their wives.