Sustainche & Lisa already reported that this year’s rainy season was fairly average. About 550 mm rainfall measured at Ondangwa Airport was enough for a good mahangu harvest. However, it was not good enough for an extended fishing season in the rural region of Northern Namibia.

Last year 2011 Tatekulu F. enjoyed catching catfish until July. Well, this pleasure was not on Tatekulu’s side this year. Never mind. There is always something to enjoy doing at Sustainche Farm™ 🙂

The good mahangu harvest needs to be stored at Sustainche Farm’s™ granary. Well, storage could be provided in the form of a large plastic container from a local hardware store in a nearby town. However, various family members expressed their feeling that the high quality and tasty mahangu from Sustainche Farm™ does not belong into a “modern” plastic container. Tatekulu enjoyed hearing this and instead of fishing he started constructing a new spherical woven basket according to his Owambo traditions to supplement the Sustainche Farm™ granary.

Sustainche & Lisa have heard that the first two baskets easily found buyers from the neighbourhood. This is understandable if you watch how this granary basket is constructed: A pure product of Mother Nature ! Mopane (Colophospermun mopane) branches and smaller branches of local bushes are interlaced with strips of mopane bark. The interior of the basket is sealed with a light coat of mud, which is made of termite hill soil mixed with water. Wonderful !

What Tatekulu constructed is not only a creative and well-designed masterpiece of traditional Owambo handicraft, but also a lively example of Sustainable Development “thinking & doing” with very practical benefit in daily life … and constructed without a single piece of material arriving from a local hardware store !

BRAVO – this is outstanding ! Sustainche & Lisa are extremely joyful to watch Tatekulu’s Sustainche Farm™ new granary basket and they can only confirm that mahangu stored in such a traditional artwork tastes as it should taste ! Thank you very much indeed, Tatekulu, for this great pleasure 🙂