03 Apr 2017

 A 65-year-old Mr Meshwa Jackson of Dukwi is one elder who believes that financial independence has no age limit with so many resources around to turn into a means of life.

Mr Jackson has lived off wood sculpturing since a teenager and has been his way of life ever since.

“Wood sculpturing has been one of the handy practices used to showcase Batswana’s cultural practices, talent and creativity,” he said in an interview.

He added that he had always stuck to this opportunity because it had always proved to be the most reliable source of income for him.

Sculpturing has proved to be a worthwhile undertaking for the senior citizen so much that his market has touched every village in the area including Dukwi, Mosetse and Tutume, among others.

“My major clients are guest houses and lodges who use my products such as mortars, pestles, traditional drums and anything that their customers call for,” he said.

Mr Jackson said although modernity had swept away the use of traditional items, some individuals and business operators still have a lot of interest in them for ornamental purposes,” he said.

He said sculpturing was highly strenuous, particularly when collecting raw materials, which includes cutting down mophane and morula trees and carving the logs into shape.

However, the old man said he does it with maximum ease using his chain saw and hiring people to carry the logs to his place of work.

“In the bush I normally use a power generator to power the electric saw, but when I am home I use the house electricity,” he said.

Mr Jackson also said he preferred to work per orders to save his raw materials because such a strategy ensures that any product designed would be bought, unlike stock piling items that might never be bought.

He also highlighted the fact that although he was sculpturing for survival, he was at the same time keeping the remnants of cultural practices that groomed him alive.

He noted that cultural practices should always be embraced as they give one a sense of pride and belonging. ENDS