The Ministry of Basic Education in Botswana brought the Tcorii sculptors from New Xade and Kacgae resettlement villages together for a wood sculpture workshop at Kang village, in the Kalahari Desert, from 22. 11. – 03. 12. 2021. Some of the participants were experienced sculptors, and, for two of the younger ones, it was only their second workshop.
Feeling the connection to the chosen root piece is the starting point for the sculpture.
Group effort of the sculptors to fix the wood to the table, to be able to cut it with a hand saw.
Zarama Sehetamabele is studying the bird head of his sculpture, to see where he will cut the mouth of the beak.
Zarama is cutting the mouth of the beak on very hard Mophane wood.
Halese Xlaoxe is cutting out his sculpture with a mallet and chisel.
Halese is sanding the surface of his sculpture.
Karena Xlamkwa is oiling his finished sculpture with linseed oil.
Dodo Qwadi is collecting the adzes after a day’s work.
Obakeng Tshetlha with his sculpture, made from Mogotlho, or Acacia erioloba.
Obakeng Tshetlha’s finished sculpture titled “Matsha”, made from Mogotlho, also called Camel Thorn, or Acacia erioloba.
Obakeng Tshetlha’s sculpture titled “Nature’s Family”, made from Moselesele wood, or Dichrostachys cinerea.
Bahuleng Botlogile’s sculpture titled “Huka la Tladi”, made from Mophane wood, or Colophospermum mopane.
Bahuleng Botlogile’s bird sculpture titled “Khudu Seka Nonyane”, made from Mophane, or Colophospermum mopane.
Halese Xlaoje sculpture titled “Ntsu”, made from Mokoba wood, or Acacia nigrescens.
Tabacco Tsemkhwe sculpture titled “Kolobe”, made from Mophane, or Colophospermum mopane.
Olametse Maboe sculpture titled “Ditlhogo Tsa Dinonyane”, made from Mophane, or Colophospermum mopane.
Sculpture display at the Open Day Exhibition on 03. 12. 2021 in Kang.
Some more sculptures had been brought to Kang from the previous workshop, as well as from work the sculptors had done at home.
Mr. Moteti, Chief Adult Education Officer, Ministry of Basic Education in Botswana with his purchased sculpture of Zarama Sehetamabele.
Many thanks to the Ministry of Basic Education for their tireless efforts to make these workshops possible.