Heirloom: Nkgo yaga Mma Kontle
Thalefang Charles | Friday May 27, 2016 10:22
“Rona re badisa fela,” says Ncedane Mngqibisa, who does not want to be referred to as the owner, but only as a ‘custodian’. He is perhaps the fourth generation ‘custodian’ of the pot and they took it out on a rare outdoor display at the National Culture Day at Manyana Gardens last Saturday.
“What we know for sure is that this clay pot belonged to my grandmother, Batlang Bose, who was born in 1904. We also know that her sister, named Kefani, also had a similar pot,” narrates Mngqibisa, adding that the other pot was relatively younger in age. According to Mngqibisa, his mother was the last-born and was given the large pot by her mother, Batlang as it was a custom back in the days. Batlang got it from their great grandmother called Mma Kontle. He is unsure whether Mma Kontle is the maker of the pot or she received it from someone.
The clay pot, which is still intact, is thought to be over 150 years, perhaps even older, making it one of the oldest usable traditional tools found in Botswana.
The pot has been transferred from generation to generation and they have guarded and preserved it like any other priceless family asset. The pot holds the secrets to their family history. The Mngqibisa believe the pot has travelled from Motswedi in South Africa, where their grandparents used to live, to present day Manyana where they finally settled.
The family’s pride in having a great craft piece that was held by their long passed-on grandparents is displayed on Mngqibisa’s delightful explanations when he proudly talks about the pots.
Mngqibisa says in 1986 The 20th Anniversary of Independence Celebrations Organisation (TAICO) together with some American volunteers approached the family with a mission to take ownership of the pot.
“They wanted to take the pot and do some research and keep the pot but Bangwaketse Kgosi Bathoen Gaseitsewe wrote a letter to my grandfather ordering them not give away the pot to anyone as it is the family’s heritage,” he says. That is why the pot is still at Manyana at Saeling ward under the custodianship of the family’s fourth generation. Mngqibisa believes that without Kgosi Gaseitsewe’s intervention the pot could have been lost in the US.
The grandchildren’s plans for the pots are to build them a special shelter. They said they are still looking for funds to create a proper shelter that would preserve the pots for posterity. In 1986 before Batlang passed on, she said to her grandson Mngqibisa: “Ngwanaka oseka wa tsoga ore tshegisa ka batho (My child do not ever make our family the laughing stock)”. It is those words that made the grandson decide to preserve the pot.
“Those words are the reason why I have made it my mission together with my family to protect this valuable heritage. This is our understanding of the saying, ‘our culture, our pride’.” “These pots are our pride,” says Mngqibisa.
The pots brewed its last traditional beer in 1989 during Mngqibisa’s wedding ceremony. Ever since then, it has not been used and has never left their home. He says they decided to take out the pot for display at the National Culture Day in order to show the rest of Botswana that they have preserved their heritage, hoping to inspire other Batswana to do just that, especially in this year when Botswana is celebrating 50 years of independence.
“We value the tools left by our grandparents because they tell deep historical tales. We also actually have tools like snares and other hunting equipment used by our great grandfathers.”
The family is looking for experts to assist them in getting the exact creation dates for the pots as well as to finance and build their shelters. Recently, they discovered some decorations on the pots that are not easily seen by the naked eye and that has led them to want to engage experts to study the pots.