The study was practice-led, offering an interpretation of the cultural
significance of the Basotho blanket through the medium of ceramics. It drew
inspiration from Thabo Makhetha’s innovative incorporation of Basotho
blankets in her fashion designs. The research delves into the historical,
cultural and symbolic dimensions of the Basotho people, focusing on the
evolution, uses, meanings, connotations and overall importance of the
Basotho blanket as a significant cultural artefact. The study was set within
Professor Denis Ekpo’s post-Africanism conceptual framework. As Ekpo
advocates, post-Africanism guides the exploration, emphasising Africa’s
cultural renewal, a theme exemplified by Makhetha’s contemporary
interpretations and representation of the Basotho blanket. Michel Foucault’s
genealogical concept was applied to interpret the cultural significance of the
Basotho blanket and its intricately woven symbols. The research methodology
involved the phenomenological application of information from the
researcher’s lived experiences as a Mosotho. This included the knowledge
acquired through formal interviews and informal conversations with key
informants such as elders within and outside the researcher’s family. The
study culminated in creating a body of ceramic works featuring embossed
and/or engraved representations of popular Basotho blanket symbols. The
tangible outcome is a visual and tactile expression of the cultural exploration
undertaken throughout the study.
Boithuto bona bo eteletswe pele, le ho fana ka tlhaloso ya bohlokwa ba setso
sa kobo ya Basotho ka dirafshwa tsa letsopa. E ile ya kgothaletswa ke Thabo
Makhetha wa ho kenya dikobo tsa Basotho mekgweng ya hae ya feshene.
Patlisiso e shebana le nalane, setso le matshwao a Basotho, e tsepamisitse
maikutlo kgolong, tlhabollo, ditshebediso, meelelo, meelelo le bohlokwa ka
kakaretso ba kobo ya Basotho jwalo ka bonono ba setso, meelelo, dikeletso
le bohlokwa ka kakaretso ba kobo ya Basotho. Boithuto bona bo ne bo behilwe
ka hara moralo wa mohopolo wa Moprofesara Denis Ekpo wa ka mora
ditataiso tsa seAfrika tse totobatsang ntjhafatso ya setso sa Afrika, e leng
morero o bontshitsweng ke tlhaloso le boemedi ba Makhetha ba mehleng ba
kobo ya Basotho.Kgopolo ya leloko la Michel Foucault e ile ya sebediswa ho
hlalosa bohlokwa ba setso sa kobo ya Basotho le matshwao a yona a
lohilweng ka mokgwa o rarahaneng. Mokgwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso o ne o
kenyelletsa tshebediso e makatsang ya lesedi ho tswa boiphihlelong ba
mofuputsi e le Mosotho. Sena se ne se kenyelletsa tsebo e fumanweng ka
dipuisano tse hlophisitsweng le dipuisano tse sa rerwang le batsebi ba
bohlokwa jwalo ka baholo ka hare le kantle ho lelapa la mofuputsi. Boithuto
bona bo fihlile sehlohlolong ka ho theha sehlopha sa mesebetsi ya letsopa e
nang le ditshwantsho tse hatisitsweng le/kapa tse betlilweng tsa matshwao a
tsebahalang a dikobo tsa Basotho. Sephetho se bonahalang ke ponahatso e
bonahalang le e mahlahahlaha ya hlahlobo ya setso e entsweng thutong
yohle.
Esi sifundo saqhutywa kusetyenzwa, kutolikwa ukubaluleka okusekelwe
kwinkcubeko yengubo yabeSotho ebonakala kwizihombisi ezenziwe
ngodongwe olutshiwe luxutywe nezinye izithako (ceramics). Umdla wokwenza
esi sifundo watsalwa kukufaka iingubo zabeSotho kuyilo lwezimbo zefashoni
zikaThabo Makhetha. Uphando lungena kwiinkalo zembali, zenkcubeko
zomelo (isimbolizimu) kubeSotho. Kugxininiswe ekuguquguqukeni,
ekusetyenzisweni nakwiintsingiselo nokubaluleka jikelele kwengubo
yabeSotho njengomsebenzi wezandla obalulekileyo nosekelwe kwinkcubeko.
Isifundo esi sayilelwa kwisakhelo seengcinga sikaNjingalwazi Denis Ekpo
apho kuphakanyiswa inkqubela yeAfrika. Njengoko uEkpo esitsho, ubuAfrika
bamva (ipost-Africanism) bukhokela uphando, bugxininisa kuhlaziyo
lwenkcubeko yama-Afrika, mxholo lowo uzekeliswa ngotoliko lukaMakhetha
nokubonisa ngengubo yabeSotho. Kwasetyenziswa ingcinga kaMichel
Foucault yokulanda umnombo ekutolikeni inkcubeko yokubaluleka kwengubo
yabeSotho neesimboli zayo ezilukwe ngobuchule nononophelo olukhulu.
Uphando lulandele uhlobo lokuchaza ulwazi ngokwefinominoloji, kuthathelwa
kumava obomi bomphandi njengoMosotho. Oku kwaquka ulwazi olufunyenwe
kwiindliwano ndlebe ezisesikweni neencoko ezingekho sikweni nabantu
abanolwazi abafana neenkonde zosapho lomphandi nezangaphandle
kosapho lwakhe. Isifundo saqukunjelwa ngokuyila ingqokelela yemisebenzi
yezandla, eyenziwe ngomxube wodongwe olutshisiweyo neyahonjiswa
ngeempawu neesimboli ezithanda ukusetyenziswa kwiingubo zabeSotho.
Isiphumo esibambekayo yaba ngumboniso wokubonwayo nokuphathwayo okungenkcubeko nokuqhutywe ngexesha lophando.
