A visual interpretation and expression of the cultural meaning of Basotho blankets

Abstract

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.