Our Story
The Temba Collection was created in Zimbabwe by Polly Randell and Touran Bristow. Having met on a game drive on the banks of the Limpopo River, their shared love of jewellery and design led to the Temba debut collection in sterling silver and a wonderful friendship. In the Ndebele and Venda languages of southern Zimbabwe, Temba means to love or to trust.
Polly
Polly was born and raised in Zimbabwe, surrounded by the fabulous crafts and designs of the Ndebele. The intricate crafts, all created from the surrounding nature, were a celebration of the creativity, resourcefulness and skill of the tribal craftsmen and street vendors. Temba is a project of love and celebration. It aims to celebrate the beauty of the African bush and the precious wildlife of Zimbabwe. Polly has had the fortune to grow up in this incredible setting and through Temba, she is able to combine a passion for creating beautiful works from simple treasures and resurrect her fondest childhood memories. The results are pieces of art that hold cultural value, and represent the essence of this corner of Africa.
Touran
Born to an English father and Iranian mother, Touran has always been passionate about beautiful jewellery and has been designing since she was a child. Laced into each of her pieces is a story inspired by history and tales from cultures around the world. Touran lived on a wildlife reserve called BVC in southern Zimbabwe for six years; a refuge to 300 rhinoceros. Her husband Adam was an anti-poaching ranger working to protect his charges from illegal poachers. Witnessing first hand the enormous pressure on these rhino from poaching was devastating. The dedication and courage of the teams trying to keep them safe was extraordinary. Temba is a collection dedicated to Zimbabwe’s extraordinary wildlife and to those who work so hard to protect it.
