16 Mar 2015

The long held Setswana tradition and art of making arm-chairs, handed-over from one generation to another seems to have dwindled over the years.

That an upsurge in Botswana’s socio-economic dynamics, from amongst the poorest of the nations of the world to a middle-income economy has had a bearing on this tradition cannot be denied.

In spite of this deviation by many Batswana, there remains a remnant of cultural enthusiasts whose love and pride of Setswana culture and custom is intact. The 43-year-old Mosimaneotsile Oageng of Digawana has not allowed western culture to infiltrate and take his eyes off his craze for making wooden chairs. He makes them in their many derivatives.

He remembers as clear as day the birth of his love for carpentry growing up in Digawana. One Mr Modise, a neighbor and carpenter of repute who did all sorts of woodwork inspired him. The dexterity with which Mr Modise worked with wood just fascinated the young boy at the time. Little did Mr Oageng know that this would mark the genesis of his vocation many years later.

He was not so perturbed by unsatisfactory results for his junior certificate as he readily pursued a 3 year Trade-C Carpentry certificate at Kweneng Rural Development Association. “The fact that I did not do well in my Junior Certificate at Thobega Secondary in Mmankgodi afforded me an opportunity to think about enrolling for this course and I pressed ahead and did it,” he told BOPA during Southern district council’s market day recently.

Upon successful completion of the course he took up employed with a company called Makwati where he worked for six years before going on his own 2001. His business flourished but disease nearly dashed his hopes of expanding his business as he took ill and had to go back home to Digawana to be attended to by family. The sting of disease seem not to have forced out Mr Oageng from his arm-making business as he is back and motivated than ever.

“Now that I have recovered from the ailment, I continue to work from home while securing a market for my products. I have lately been to Molepolole to secure market and remain optimistic that all will work out just fine,” he said.

At the moment, Mr Oageng depends on individuals who buy albeit on a small scale his chairs from home; something he acknowledges help put bread on the table for him and family. His biggest challenge is lack of a factory shell where he can store-up his products and be easily accessed by the customers. The sensitive nature of the wood work, especially to rain, he noted makes it difficult to showcase his products in open spaces.

Although he is fascinated by wooden chairs completely-laden with leather cords in keeping with Setswana custom, the latter scarcity of readily made leather-cords remains a challenge.
“The only person who used to supply me with leather-cords is in Khakhea is now doing whips and therefore unable to supply me,” he said. ENDS