By Foibe N Paavo
SWAKOPMUND, 26 April 2022. – Letwin, who prefers to go by one name, is a talented weaver who makes chairs, trays, baskets, and headboards for a living at a marketplace in Swakopmund. It’s been nearly 26 years since she started exploring this talent and benefitting from it to feed her four children.
She was forced to turn to weave due to personal circumstances, she said, and claims it’s a talent passed down from her ancestors. Letwin intends to keep it alive as long as there are still a few people willing to cherish it.
“I learned how to weave in Zimbabwe and through traveling,” she said explaining she had a very bad incident 27 years ago, where she lost everything.
She considered going back to Zimbabwe, but there was nothing for her to do there so started her own weaving business.
“I started selling at stall markets and later registered for this market,” she said.
Letwin makes different types of chairs and also two- and three-seater couches. A finished product doesn’t take time to dry and is trimmed to be ready for customers to buy.
It does, however, take her about three days to finish weaving one chair to be fully ready for sale. Couches, depending on which type, take much more time.
Letwin remarked on the availability of customers and said they find what she does rather fascinating. Particularly as it was African made.
At the moment they were getting customers based on their current circumstances, especially at month-end.
“The situation is however not the same, sometimes there’s honestly no customers,” she added. – Namibia Daily News
