Basarwa crafts sustain 800 producers

Staff Writer | Monday May 18, 2015 16:38

She grew up producing crafts with ostrich eggshells with her mother in Ncaang settlement in Kgalagadi.  She was among the producers from the 16 Basarwa settlements popular for their crafts supplying the Gantsi Crafts Centre and Botswanacraft in Gaborone.

Kikonyane is now the coordinator of the Ghantsi Craft Centre, which sells and markets the crafts made by Basarwa to the visiting tourists and beyond. She says that her mother built a decent two and a half bed roomed house in Ncaang settlement all thanks to the proceeds from the crafts she produced.

According to Kikonyane, Ghantsi Craft works with 800 producers, mostly women to impart leadership and entrepreneurial skills in their approach to the art of crafts.

The women are based in such remote areas as Qabo, New Xade, New Kanagas, Chobokwane, D’Kar, Ghantsi, Bere, Kacgae, Grootlagt, East Hanahai, West Hanahai, Metsimantle, Ngwatlhe, Monong, Ukwhi, and Ncaang.

Kikonyane says the Ghantsi Craft is responsible for training the producers on quality, natural resource management, as well as on health issues such as HIV and TB.

She explains that 85 percent of the producers are women who from time-to-time satisfy orders from Ghantsi Craft and its sister organisations, San Craft and Botswanacraft.

According to her, Ghantsi Craft and Botswanacraft have strong relations. The Gaborone-based craft centre often places bulk orders with Ghantsi Craft, which then mobilises the producers to deliver.  In fact the present building that houses Ghantsi Craft today was donated by the Botswanacraft.

Their producers are famed for beautiful craft items such as a variety of Basarwa jewellery, belts, and neck and headbands, earrings, bracelets, pendants and bandoleers.

Though few, the men also contribute significantly to the rich stock of crafts in the shop. They include hunting sets (bow and arrows), love bows, copper in leather, stinkane, and woodcarvings.

Kikonyane said that Ghantsi Craft also stocks crafts by Baherero such as the Herero dolls and baskets from the Okavango by the Hambukushu people.

They also stock Letsoku traditional makeup powder for women from the Baherero. The international tourist remains the chief consumer of Basarwa crafts since Swedish woman, Bertha Gern, opened the centre in 1980.