BLOEMFONTIEN: Basotho blankets are a rich part of the cultural heritage of the Basotho people, woven into their daily lives and significant life events from birth to death. A range of these blankets will be on exhibition at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum.
The exhibition − titled “Sutha ke Fete” which means “make way so I may pass” in Sesotho − will officially open on 19 September and close on 16 November. It is presented in collaboration with Sanlam and the museum, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. During this exhibition, more can be learnt about these blankets, which are more than just a source of warmth. They are symbols of identity, pride, and cultural continuity, with unique designs and meanings that reflect their history, values, and connection to the land. This is an invitation to make way for an imagined passerby, wrapped in a richly decorated heritage blanket.
The exhibition celebrates the stories of the blankets, on loan from the Anthropology Collection of the National Museum. In total, 26 Basotho blankets will be displayed including pieces from Aranda’s Young Basotho Designer range. The exhibition comes at a fitting time, as South Africans celebrate Heritage Month, a period that serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and honouring the cultural traditions that shape our identities. It also coincides with the start of the Basotho season in August (Phato) and September (Selemo).
Shadi Chauke, group executive: Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said: “Basotho blankets have become iconic markers of Basotho identity; they are enduring works of art which are meant to be worn.”
“Every unique design tells a story, while weaving together an overarching commentary on the political, cultural, and economic development of our nation. We are proud to be showing this collection at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum following the inaugural display at the Sanlam Art Gallery in Cape Town and the Sanlam Art Lounge in Sandton this year. This collection, augmented by loans from private collections, provides a rare opportunity to view never-before-seen blankets.”
The blankets hold a rich tapestry of history, reaching back about 160 years, to when they were first manufactured in mills in England’s Yorkshire, before winding their way to the Cape of Good Hope, Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), and then on to Leribe and the other mountainous districts of Basutoland (now Lesotho). They tell intertwining tales of Africa and England, and clothiers and early capitalism.
The patterns of the blankets were made possible by the invention of the Jacquard weaving machine − one of the earliest examples of computation − during the British Industrial Revolution. Missionaries first brought blankets to King Moshoeshoe’s nation in 1845. English traders then established trading posts to meet demand, and began developing new designs, in collaboration with their customers, such as the famed Seanamarena blanket. To date, the blankets have been part of Basotho culture for over a century, with the original ‘Victoria England’ designs enduring for generations; these will be displayed at the exhibition. They will be joined by a collection of 10 blankets from Aranda’s Young Basotho Designers range, commissioned in 2022.
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