Artisan Stories

LINDA
Linda has a primary school education and cannot speak or read much English…after months she was still making deformed mice. I said: ‘Please make one beautiful mouse today!’ She did. The next week she earned over a hundred rand – and danced her happiness! Today – she takes on new designs, often cracking it at the first attempt, and making the sample for others to copy.

ANNA
Anna has paid for her glasses and false teeth out of her nuno part time work. So sy glimlag nog! And it paid for bricks when she extended her house.

PROXY
Proxy was a lorry guard before his brother’s children were orphaned and had to go to the grandparents, whom they did not know. So he took the children to the Eastern cape, settling them in for two years before returning to the city. He came to nuno, telling us that in the village where he grew up, the people did beading, and he laso wanted to bead. Now he can bead, felt scarves, and skilfully sculpt PETS! He says: ‘I like to work with the felt because it does what I want.

NOKWANDISA
Nokwandisa says: ‘I like my work because I see the food on the table.