The skins of game, that were killed for
food, were used for gathering plant food from the natural vegetation or to carry
medicine. The Tswana people are traditionally fine crafters who can work with
clay, iron, leather, bone, reeds, grasses and many other materials.
This project was started and financially
supported by Kumba Resources' Sishen Iron Ore Mine to assist one of the poorest
of the poor communities in South Africa by re-introducing the traditional leather
tanning and Grafting skills to the Tswana people of the Northern Cape region.
The project employs 24 previously unemployed women from the Debeng area in the
Northern Cape region.
The elegant bag with twisted or beaded thonging,
is part of the heritage of the inhabitants of the Karoo, Namaqualand and Kalahari
region of the Northern Cape. In the past the local Taswana people all made use
of locally tanned leathers. Being advanced crafters, they readily utilized the
skins of domestic animals and wild animals in the making of articles for wear
and everyday use.
This bag while made from fully tanned and
treated modern leather is modeled on 19th and early 20th century examples to be
found in the fine museums of the Northern Cape. The traditional Kalahari "twaksak"
is made from sewn and decorated South African chrome tanned full grain leather.
The slippers are also made from South African materials.
The inners are Merino sheepskins
and the outers are Created from vegetable tanned Boergoat leathers.
All stitching is done by hand using strong, round pre-waxed terylene
brained thread and employing the saddle stitching technique. The dyes
are all water based antiqua dye and spirit based stain. The elegant
boxed bags are made form vegetable tanned Kudu leathers and all stitching
are done by hand with leather thongs.
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