The phafana that made me a warrior

Son fo the soil.path.PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
Son fo the soil.path.PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

Have you ever heard of a hunter who enters a lion infested forest without his sharpest spear? Even the bravest and most fierce warriors can’t do it and I surely wouldn’t do that either.

Off course I have no interest in entering any lion infested forest in my lifetime but recently I felt like a brave warrior when I attended Son of the Soil (SOTS) event with my most valuable cultural asset, phafana (African calabash).

Most men these days want to drink beer in fancy bottles but I had kept that phafana for two years since buying it in 2015 and it was one of the most valuable beer containers in my collection. The same way a warrior sharpens his spear before any battle, that morning I had to soak the phafana in hot water and used chewing gum to fill the holes and cracks. The calabash is a product of a gourd plant so it is bound to suffer a few damages over time. I find it easy to maintain my calabash because I know what I am dealing with. All this time I had to keep it in a dry place after washing and normally it should not be kept in water for a very long time.

Editor's Comment
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While the political shift brings hope for change, it also places immense pressure on the new administration to deliver on its election promises in the face of serious economic challenges.On another level, newly appointed Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s grim assessment of the country’s finances adds urgency to the moment. The budget deficit, expected to be P8.7 billion, is now anticipated to be even higher due to underperforming diamond...

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