Crafters preserving African heritage through art

The walkways at Rosebank Mall are alive with colourful beadwork, clothing, jewellery, keepsakes, and mementos every Thursday to Saturday during Heritage Month.

The African Craft Market experience is peppered with memorable encounters with talented vendors whose passion for their work and for people is as enticing as their art.

The African Craft Market brings the Rosebank Art & Craft Market into the Rosebank Mall from Friday to Saturday.

The market will feature 30 of the 114 traders per week on a rotational basis to ensure each one has the opportunity to showcase their wares.

The Rosebank Art & Craft Market is a vibrant hub in the Rosebank community. As with all markets, it was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and the vendors struggled, but the indomitable African spirit is on display in full force.

The African Craft Market is a support-small-business concept and offers a diversity of authentic African products at affordable prices, by artists and traders from several African countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Congo, Cameroon, Malawi, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is building sustainable livelihoods for many households.

Most of the art in Africa is related to the culture, tradition, and region where the artist is from, making their art unique according to their specific influences.

Leote Taylor, incubation manager at the South African Creative Industries Incubator (Sacii) said crafters played an important role in the preservation of South Africa’s heritage.

Leote Taylor, incubation manager at the South African Creative Industries Incubator (Sacii). Picture: Supplied

“Crafters produce products that embody our cultural heritage, history, and generational stories, often with a modern twist that makes this heritage relevant to a new audience today. This heritage is preserved both through the products and the skills that are shared by crafters,” said Taylor

by Vusi Adonis – iol