Mini Tribal Chess Set Colour

A unique design compared to our larger tribal chess sets, this stunning miniature chess set in the colour design features members of two of South Africa’s largest and oldest tribes - the Zulu and the Xhosa tribes - pitted against one another on a small scale. Add some vibrant African flair to your home or office with this gorgeous chess set featuring chess playing pieces hand-cast from polystone and hand-painted with Winsor and Newton oil paints. Alternatively, this set makes the perfect curio gift for people who love Africa and its diverse cultures. Please note this product can also be purchased on Amazon or on Etsy

The miniature tribal chess set features the following playing pieces:

• The king – Zulu/Xhosa chief
• The queen – Zulu/Xhosa matron
• The knight – Zulu/Xhosa messengers
• The bishop – Zulu sangoma/Xhosa witchdoctor
• The rook – water pot
• The pawn – shepherds/cattle-herders

Amazing Africa Gifts crafting and material details

Both the set’s chess pieces and board frame are cast by hand in polystone (a unique mixture of crushed stone and resin) and painted by hand in incredible detail by our exceptionally talented team of South African artists using high-quality Winsor and Newton oil paints. The wooden chess board itself is also carved by hand, as are the molds that are used for the chess pieces. The chess pieces in the miniature set are exactly the same as the general tribal chess pieces, made to scale through the use of 3D printing.

The board squares are hand carved from koto and cherry wood, and then treated in accordance with international import standards and requirements. The board is then set in its polystone frame which boasts a stunning African design.

Each set (board, pieces and frame) takes approximately six (6) hours to be crafted from start to finish by our extremely skilled and talented artisans and craftspeople, with some time allocated during the process for the paint to dry.

Set size

SIZE - UNPACKED

Playing figure height: 7 cm;

Playing figure diameter: 2 cm;

Board size: 29 cm x 29 cm x 3 cm;

Board playing squares: 3 cm x 3 cm

Packed size: 36 cm x 36 cm x 10 cm and weight 2.5 kg

Packaging

We take the utmost care in packing our gorgeous chess sets, such that they are delivered to you safely and in their entirety after the shipping process.

Every individual chess piece is set in their own box-dye cut foam holder, accompanied by extra foam top and bottom covers for the set as a whole. Additionally, the wooden board is wrapped in bubble wrap so that it can absorb any shock while in transit, without sustaining any damage.

The complete set is placed in a sturdy double-walled cardboard box which contains polystyrene packing peanuts which further protect the chess set during shipping. While we take the greatest care to ensure that the set gets to you in one piece, we know that accidents do happen – so, if any pieces arrived damaged, we will replace them entirely at no cost to you.

Shipping Information

All Gala Star products are manufactured in South Africa and therefore shipping takes some time and incurs some costs. Shipping costs to the USA, UK, and Europe from South Africa vary in terms of time and cost.

For Kumbula iAfrica (Gala Star) orders under $150, please note that shipping is still to be added to your order.

We are currently offering free shipping on orders over $150 using EMS but upon order will also offer a shipping upgrade for speedier and more accurate shipping times for orders over $150.

Please refer to our shipping policies page for further details.

Sales tax, VAT, and customs duty

Please note that for all our customers outside of USA and outside South Africa, we do not calculate sales tax, VAT, import or customs duties and these may be due upon the product arriving at your customs office.

For our South African customers, please note that all prices including shipping are quoted excluding VAT (15%) which will be added to the price at checkout. Gala Star is a registered VAT vendor in South Africa.

For our USA customers, we will add any sales tax to your orders where we qualify for Sales Tax registration.

THE STORY BEHIND THIS CHESS SET

Although much of the Tribal culture in South Africa is being replaced by Western influences, there are still some vestiges of a once strong tribal tradition in the rural areas. Many of which are evident in their celebrations. Some of the old ways and modes of dress have disappeared forever and remain only in the memories of their descendents.  It is with this in mind that Gala Star wanted to honour these proud tribes by creating a unique novelty Tribal themed chess set, so that their history will never be forgotten.

In this tale of survival two of the oldest tribes in Southern Africa, return to their heritage in this struggle for territory over arable land. These two groups of people, each with their own language, culture, rituals, laws and traditions; both surviving and thriving off the land pit it out on our unique themed chess board.

This Zulu/Xhosa Tribal Themed Chess Set brings you closer to the centre of this tribal drama as you take on the roles of these two tribes.

These are but a few of the wonders of the traditions that were followed by these ubiquitous tribes of Southern Africa. It's the marvel of this authenticity, the richness of this heritage, and the grandeur of their tales that Kumbula encapsulates in this Zulu/Xhosa Tribal themed chess set, in every piece. All taking place upon a flawlessly crafted Kiaat, Koto or  Maple wood board.

Great care has been taken to capture their ways in this unique chess set. The Xhosa and Zulu people for example, have a rich history of manufacturing their own clothing, jewellery, weapons and crockery. Certain clothing for example would indicate a woman’s marital status or that a man was to soon be betrothed. Buildings were sculpted and decorated differently to indicate the rank of the owner. Hunters and warriors would fashion weapons from hard materials such as wood or stone. Jewellery would be woven from reeds with hours of care, delicacy and skill. Exceptional expertise would be used to weave reeds or carve out boulders into invaluable water pots, ultimately used to store and transport the precious commodity of water.

Hours of research, coupled with immediate exposure to these revered tribes, assist to ensure that they are captured historically true-to-life in this miniature Zulu/Xhosa Tribal themed chess set. The keen details of the virtuous warriors, the precise patterns of the ladies wraps, the complex carve of the water-pots, right down to the pose and position each member holds themselves in, ensures that when you take home this ground-stone chessboard it truly reflects South African tribal history.

FREE SHIPPING FOR USA:

We offer free shipping for USA customers for order over $50. Please note that for customers in other countries shipping will be calculated on checkout. Please refer to our shipping policies page for further details.

SALES TAX, VAT, AND CUSTOMS DUTY

Please note the above price excludes sales tax, VAT or customs or import duties. United States customers will have sales tax added upon checkout where required, and South African clients will have VAT added. For the rest of the world you may incur import duties that are for your account.