But things have changed and nowadays people use mokolwane for anything in the house from making furniture to manufacturing dried flowers for decorations.
The Ben family from Serowe has proven that anything is possible with mokolwane. They have been in the mokolwane weaving business for almost eight years. Tumelo Ben and his Zimbabwean-born wife Susan overcome poverty by weaving furniture out of mokolwane.
“After marrying Susan in 1997, I visited her family in Zimbabwe where I learnt the art of weaving,” said Ben, who was born in Botalaote ward in Serowe but later migrated to Shashemooke. The-sometimes-mechanic developed an interest in the art when he saw his in-laws making good things out of mokolwane and Susan taught him how to weave.
There are not many weavers who can make wardrobes, television stands, tables, chairs and even beds, but Ben and his wife can. They make the products at their home in Area-W location, opposite Setlalekgosi Community Junior Secondary School, where they line up their wares along the A3 road.
The family trades under the Bangwato Weaving and Dress Making Company. Ben registered the company in 1998 with the hope of increasing production but his efforts were thwarted by lack of funds. He was initially stationed at Gaborone before he moved to Francistown in pursuit of an already established clientele.
Ben explained that mokolwane is dried after being cut from the bush so that it does not decay easily. He said that after drying up, it is watered again so that it becomes soft and manageable when weaving. “It is dangerous when dry because it can cut your hands,” warned 45-year-old Ben.
When making products like TV stands and beds, Ben emphasised that one has to be careful with measurements as they have to be followed carefully to produce good-looking structures. He uses steel rods to structure the frames before covering them with wet mokolwane.
Weaving has different styles and patterns and tables and chairs are made in different styles depending on the type and purpose of the product. “The pattern used when making a table is not the same as when making a floor mat or chair,” says Susan who specialises in small artefacts like decorating dry flowers. A customer can also recommend the pattern they want. Ben and Susan are very flexible and make products according to their customers’ specifications.
After the products have been weaved, they are varnished or dark oak paint is applied in order to strengthen them. “Varnish makes products stronger and shiny. It also acts as a water proof on the surface of the furniture,” said Ben.
The parents of six children used to display their merchandise in the town centre before the Francistown City Council moved them to the bus rank, which they complained was very small. They said that they could not operate there because it was congested with petty traders. However, they disclosed that they have acquired a business plot at Shashemooke but they could not work there because of a poor market and the fact that the plot is not yet developed.
Susan said they are still searching for a suitable place in town and explained that the city council has given them a platform to work from any place depending on the agreement they make with the authorities of that area. “If we want to work from Game complex, we can negotiate with them,” she said.
Mokolwane is found in Nata village or other places in the North West district. Ben orders mokolwane from the villagers and by so doing, he creates employment for rural people. He said his lack of a decent education does not mean he cannot feed himself and his family.
Bangwato Weaving and Dress Making Company were the 2001 furniture category winners at the Botswana International Trade Fair. Ben said that trade fairs help them a lot as this is where they market themselves to the international market. He however expressed concern that the stalls are very expensive and that is the reason he did not attend the subsequent years’ shows.
The couple lamented that local people do not want to engage in self-employment activities. Instead, they blame the government for shortage of jobs. “There is no reason to condemn the government while we have our hands to feed ourselves,” said the hard working Ben. He said people should emulate him and use raw materials for their own benefits.
In Ben’s family, everyone has a duty in the business. Ben and Susan manufacture goods while the children go house-to-house marketing the traditional products. Susan said she was planning to open a curio shop in town but the only problem is lack of a suitable venue and funds.
She explained that African printed materials are not easily found in Botswana and this makes their job more difficult. The closure of the flea market in Francistown also affected the Bangwato Weaving Company. Susan revealed that tourists used to buy their weaved products and it gave them exposure to a wider market.
Ben said he is willing to spread weaving skills to other Batswana without charge and expressed a desire to produce at least two good weavers.
