Mapula means Mother of Rain. The Mapula embroidery collective comprises 85 women embroiderers in the Winterveld. Established to create income for women in this poverty stricken area, the works are highly collectible and have been presented to Heads of State and HRH Queen Elizabeth and Pres. Obama. Each richly detailed cloth is filled with exhuberant expression of the women's creativity. They reflect contemporary life and times of the makers. AAA rated hangings are considered gallery and museum quality in terms of their workmanship and content.  Tapestries with social and political subject matter are particualrly collectible. Read more about Mapula in the Who Are the Makers link above.

There is an excellent book written about this group: Mapula: Embroidery and Empowerment in the Winterveld. by Brenda Schahmann. It is available in the Mapula section for $50.