Inqawe (original) (raw)

Inqawe is the Xhosa term for the traditional smoking pipe used among the Xhosa people. The pipes come in many variations but are mostly made from Acacia caffra or ‘mnyamanzi’ wood which is taken from the hook thorn tree commonly found in the Eastern Cape. Xhosa men and women (including non-smokers) carry a pipe in a beaded tobacco bag called ‘inxili’ as part of their traditional attire when they attend rituals and traditional functions.