BEADED SPLENDOR: Migration of Beadmaking and Beadwork Throughout Africa African Beadwork Today Throughout Africa, artists continue the tradition of creating beautiful works of beaded art, and these artworks retain their prestige within the African communities. Beadworkers still create crowns for Yoruba kings and beaded regalia and clothing for Bamum and kuba kings; Ndebele and Maasai women produce and display their splendid beaded clothing and adornment. Yet, as it has throughout history, the work of bead artists continues to evolve. For example, African artists experiment with new materials, including plastic beads that are imported from Europe, and produce artworks for foreign patrons, such as expatriates, tourists, and merchants and their customers from aroun4 the world. This continued interest in African beadwork, both in and outside Africa, assures that this art-form will continue to flourish.