Molepolole elder carves wood for survival

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Staff Writer | Friday August 2, 2013 00:00

 

The 55-year-old is able to raise his family of seven thanks to his pride in his culture and his resolve to use it to make ends meet.He carves wood to make mortars and pestles (Kika and Motshe), which he sells for P150 per piece. It would appear as if carving wood, which only started as a hobby, was Thoilo' destiny.Like many of his contemporaries, the Molepolole man used to make clay kettles, pots and spoons, as pottery was one of the popular games in those days.He also played another game called Rwabi where a stick is made to ride on a specially designed grass.He and his peers would compete for supremacy where the best was determined by who would make the stick travel the longer distance.But while enjoyed playing with other boys often interrupting his games with some moments of traditional dance, Thoilo just found the lure to copy from his late grandfather irresistible.

'My grandfather was a very good wood carver. He could produce an assortment of pieces from home utensils to sculptures and more. So I would always find time to sit besides him while he did that and tried to copy,' he told Arts & Culture.Because of his interest, it was then easy for Thoilo to master the art. That motivated his grandfather to give him more chances to practice starting with small pieces.'As I grew up I started making my own pieces. What really motivated me was that I used to help my grandfather sell his pieces and we would make good money. At the time a mortar cost around P3 but if we made P30 on a single day that was good money at the time,' he said. Although his grandfather was a lot imaginative as he displayed a high degree of creativity in his work, Thoilo is modest about his own skill. He has confessed that while his old man could make wooden animal sculptures he can only manage useful objects like pestles, mortars, stools, spoons and buckets.

The Lokgapheng-born woodcarver joined the gold rush in the 80s as more and more Batswana men drifted to South African mines in search of greener pastures.After staying in Gauteng for 13 years he decided to return home. He was still looking to make money to help his family but that was the time when the liberation struggle had reached epic proportions. The violence was spreading into all sections and there were often deadly strikes at the mines as well.'I feared for my life and returned home. But because I love woodcarving the first thing I did was go back to the bush to fetch good logs. My family had to be fed and the only way was to do what I used to do before I went to the mines - and it has worked. However, I have not been able to build a descent house or live a good live but we are surviving,' he said.Carrying forward his grandfather's legacy makes Thoilo very proud and his wish has always been to see one of his own sons doing this.

However, he has been disappointed as none has shown interest and despite his numerous appeals they do not seem to understand. 'I raised them doing this and tried to ensure that like other children they got education.They have not gone that far in education and I have been trying to show them that maybe, like me, they are destined to find life in using their hands, but all my efforts have hit a snag,' he said.However, Thoilo is proud to be mentoring one student from Molepolole College of Education (MCE) whom he described as a quick learner.'He has given me the chance to impart my knowledge and I wish nothing derails him even after he completes his studies. He could use what he has learnt from me to augment his earnings from his regular job,' he concluded.