Making things from animals: leather technologies of the Kalahari

Published on 2025-01-17 - 14:30 by Jacob Anthony

<p>A partnership between the Sainsbury Research Unit at the University of East Anglia and the San Research Centre at the University of Botswana, this project documented leather processing techniques and related practices at four locations in Botswana: Serowe, Lokgwabe, Ncaang and Kaudwane. Producers were asked to select specific artefacts that includied a bag for keeping tea, a wrapper used for gathering and carrying loads, a mat, dancing attire and hunting sets. The stages in the manufacture of these artefacts was recorded using film and photography, as well as through process diagrams. Although key to historic forms of dress, including in the very remote past, leather processing is now rarely practised today in the more prosperous communities of Eastern of Botswana, while communities in the West are limited by restrictions on hunting and gathering wild materials. Most practitioners complained that it was hard to interest young people in learning these techniques and were keen that they be recorded and documented. </p>

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Project description alt

Tirisano mmogo magareng ga lekalana la dipatlisiso la Sainsbury kwa Yunibesithing ya East Anglia le lekala la dipatlisiso la San/Basarwa kwa Yunibesithing ya Botswana, e ne ya kwala mekgwa ya go dira letlalo le mekgwa e e amanang le yone kwa mafelong a le mane kwa Botswana: Serowe, Lokgwabe, Ncaang le Kaudwane. Batlhagisi ba ne ba kopiwa go tlhopha dilo tse di rileng tse di neng di akaretsa kgetsana ya go tshola tee, sephuthelwana se se dirisediwang go phutha le go rwala merwalo, phate, diaparo tsa mmino wa setso le tsa go tsoma. Dikarolo tsa go dirwa ga dilo tseno tsa bogologolo di ne tsa kwalwa ka go dirisa filimi le ditshwantsho, mmogo le ka go dirisa ditshwantsho tsa thulaganyo. Le fa e ne e le selo se se botlhokwa mo mefuteng ya bogologolo ya go apara, go akaretsa le mo nakong e e fetileng, go dirwa ga letlalo ga go sa tlhole go dirwa thata gompieno mo metseng e e humileng ya Botlhaba jwa Botswana, fa metse e e kwa Bophirima yone e thibetswe ke melao ya go tsoma le go kgobokanya dilo tsa naga. Bontsi jwa batho ba ba dirang tiro e ba ne ba ngongorega ka nako ya fa re ne re ba botsolotsa gore go thata go dira gore basha ba kgatlhegele go ithuta mekgwa e mme ba ne ba batla gore e gatisiwe le go kwalwa.

Project PI

Dr Chris Wingfield, Associate Professor in the Arts of Africa, Sainsbury Research Unit, UEA

Host institution

Sainsbury Research Unit University of East Anglia; Universiy of Botswana

Project languages

English, Setswana, Sekgalagadi, Khoekhoegowab, ǃXóõ, G||ana, Tsila

Project ID

EMKP2020SG12

Project Page

https://www.emkp.org/making-things-from-animals/

Project Team

Maitseo Bolaane, Associate Professor, University of Botswana, Leema Anthony Hiri, Research Coordinator, University of Botswana San Research Centre, Gréine Jordan, PhD Candidate, University of East Anglia, Novelette-Aldoni Stewart, PhD Candidate, University of East Anglia