Ama Ndebele is a memorable tribute to the resilience and creativity of the Ndebele, many of whom continue to live in communities scattered across South Africa's Mpumalanga province. Forced into indentured labour relations in the late 19th century, the Ndebele survived both the dehumanising impact of this experience and the devastating realities of the apartheid era by repeatedly renewing their commitment to customs and values that have remained intact today. Although best known for their remarkable mural art tradition, the Ndebele also wear distinctive beadwork garments on special occasions. In Ama Ndebele, Peter Magubane celebrates these arts and, through them, the women who have dedicated their lives to upholding Ndebele traditions. While draws attention to the work of talented muralists like Esther Nostokana Mahlangu and Francina Danisile Ndimande, he also documents the day-to-day activities of ordinary people, and their extraordinary dedication to upholding the rituals and rites of passage that mark important transitions in their lives. Magubane's detailed record of these ceremonies, including male circumcision practices and coming-of-age ceremonies, captures the lived experience and emotional responses of initiates and their families. Complementing these intimate moments are photographs which portray the political violence that engulfed present-day Mpumalanga in the 1980s and the ongoing realities of migrant labour. AmaNdebele succeeds painting a complex picture of the Ndebele's daily efforts to sustain a way of life that is constantly challenged by external factors beyond their immediate control.