Action Research.

Research questions and the methodology.

 

The Plan is to manufacture pieces of jewelry that is an indicator of status based on the milestones of a Xhosa man. I will look at the anthropology of a Xhosa man. Particularly I will focus at the adornments that are associated with the milestones of a Xhosa man. These adornments are indicators of status; my focus will be on the colors of these adornments, the patterns of these adornments and the significance of these adornments. 

My research methodology will be to focus at a milestone of a Xhosa man.

·         Find the worth of the milestone.

·         Find the purpose of the milestone.

·         Look at the colors of the adornments that are associated with that milestone.

·         Look at the symbols on those adornments associated with that milestone.

·         Use all of that information to create Xhosa bling jewelry.

This will be action research that will  consist of spiral of following self-reflective cycles:

1. Planning in order to initiate the piece of jewelry.
2. Implementing the design to metal (acting) and observing the process of implementation and consequences.
3. Reflecting on processes of manufacturing and re-planning.
4. Acting and observing.
5. Reflecting.

All the above mention points will be my design process blueprint; I would like to create jewelry that in a sense has motivational aspects.

I would like my Xhosa bling contemporary jewelry to be associated with a visual scream, as that attracts attention. From that attention, I want to be able to convey the message that carries purpose. Each piece of my Xhosa bling jewelry has to function as an indicator of status to the wearer.