Customary Arts in Namibia
A historical background
Customary arts as handcrafts products have been produced in Namibia for many years within traditional circles, mainly in the communal areas in the northern regions of Oshana, Kavango East and West, Omusati, Oshikoto and Ohangwena as objects to meet the utilitarian needs and cultural functions linked to different cultural identities in terms of materials found in the environments, the forms and shapes which are functional, and the different ornaments and designs that are influenced by traditions. In the past, the productions was mainly dominated by women as they were more involve in agriculture and domestic chores in the houses, even though men also produce weapons as hunters and gatherer. Defined as artefacts that are hand-made by local artisans with the indigenous skills that is passed on traditionally from one individual to another, the definition has been widen to include a huge shift from functional, cultural objects, and the batter system that was only taking place in the regions which was then the exchange of products between the communities, to objects that are viewed as decorative and can be commercialized (A. Eins, Personal communication, 08 August 2018). And as part of the colonial conquest in the 19th century, these utility objects were presented to missionaries, colonial administrators, and settlers and some were purchased, with less details of their origin by collectors, art dealers who prized them lower compared to exotic goods from Europe because they were refer to us inferior ‘primitive objects’ of uncivilised people (Graburn, 1992). As I argued that this historical development of customary arts in Namibia continued in the post-modernism era through the Non Governmental Organisations that upgraded the rural creative people through workshops, there are now numerous sites in Windhoek where these customary arts are displayed for perusal, appreciation and mainly for purchase.
Loss or Preservation?
As I observed, there is recent developments around customary arts in Namibia as there are widely marketed, the post mall street, the parking area in near Windhoek tourism information centre in the independence avenue host a large numbers of local artisans, and the large area of the Warehouse building is made up of mini-galleries and shops that sells customary arts. And the very interesting part is that in most of these shops there are mini-studios in which you find a local artisans sitting working on his or her products. Most of these customary arts are hand-made and often belong within a particular space of production fenced off as ‘authentically’ of indigenous knowledge skills that are passed on from one generation to another, the typical involve repetition of forms and design with only minor variation and the application of traditional ornaments. I review ‘authenticity’ in relation to the development of modern forms and the way in which traditional and imported materials, motifs and techniques are used with end-goal to sell the multiple productions as the artists are now motivated by sales because of the western commercial values as mass-production commodities and the uniqueness of personal creativity has itself become a commodity appealing to those seeking creative inspiration from impulses which their own cultures defined as ‘primitive’. The idea of commodification of customary art in Namibia was influenced by the colonial conquest of the local people and their traditions, and after independence these artefacts are produce to meet the demand of the market, to support cultural tourism, and source of income to local artisans. Information about this artefacts are not recorded properly, no title, size, medium, year of production, and name of the artisans. This have made me to raise the question of whether the whole process is “losing out” or “preserving”, I’m highlighting this very important phrase to pinpoint the commodification exercise, when traditional skills becomes a commodities then to serve a traditional purpose, and these clear evidence can be traced in a cultural development that is essentially concerned with income generation and tourism, promoting the whole notion of individuals (Artisans) and (tourists, private collectors, NGOs, and art institutions) who participate in the exchange of culture for capital.
I’m incorporating all these under the subject of “Loss” because in the process, these artisans are selling out creative products that are functional back in their communities, and are made with the skills that are gained back in the communities, but now used primarily for profit in the city. Using the example of the Rossing Foundation (Mud Hut Trading) that have facilitated workshops with the rural crafts men and women, this formal cultural development have disvalue traditional skills and have turn men and women into commoditized labour, wisdom into ignorance, autonomy into dependency. It transmogrifies people’s autonomous activities embodying wants, skills, hopes and interactions with one another, and with the environment, into needs whose satisfaction requires the mediation of the market (Esteva, 1997, p. 18).
As Annaleen further commented that “this workshop also challenged the production qualities by encouraging rural women to abandoned their traditional ways of applying patterns which are significant in their cultures with decorating their products with flowers that have no meaning to them” ( A. Eins, Personal Communication, 08 August 2018). In this informal market, objects made for local use have acquire a commercial value out of all proportion to their own local economic value often tempting local artisan to sell personal and community heirlooms, their own or other peoples, to dealers who pass them on at great profit to overseas collectors, like the Gondwana collection that have been involve in the collection of cultural valuables for display in their lodges.
The cultural effects such commodification, combined with the outside influence of both market tastes and Western styles can cultural transformation which can be dramatic or gradual. As these local artisans are now incorporating modern techniques and materials like beads that are imported from China, as Cowen (2002) addresses that “the poor culture begins to direct its outputs towards the tastes of the richer culture, communication with the outside world makes the prevailing ethos less distinct, the smaller culture “forget” how to make the high-quality goods it once specialized in, and we observe cultural decline” (p. 56). Not necessarily to point out that our local cultures is “poor” but my argument is based on the transformation of non-Western cultural production to suit Western markets, which can result in the eventual disappearance of the practice or style in its original form.
Curation in depth
As I emphasise above, these artisans are referred to informal traders because the majority of them are self-taught who observed these artistic skills in the communities where they grow up and some were taught at home through practiced under the watchful eye of the skilful crafters who pass their indigenous knowledge to them. They didn’t receive what is now regarded as formal art education in order for one to practice visual arts. The standard of display is considered low, no title, size medium, year of production, name of the artisan, no authorship, copyright, with no price valuation, and these master piece are all referred to as “crafts” no clear distinction like with fine arts, paintings and sculptures.
These artefacts are display on the ground in an open space open to all sort of weather that can damaged them easily. All these have set a clear boundary between fine arts and these artefacts that is referred to us crafts, mainly because of the clear distinction of what is considered us fine arts and what is not, fine arts is considered as of higher value and artists have gained status in the communities, while crafts are viewed us cultural objects made for decorative purpose with low status and the artisans are still fighting for recognition in the communities. “Preserving” these artefacts is mainly challenged, because they are seen as material cultures that can be consumed promoted through competitions, workshops in the region, and the idea of crafts exhibitions that gave the market value and generate income for rural women and men that are involve in the production.
In addition Karin Le Roux the coordinator of Mad Hut trading that provides training, products developments and marketing opportunities for the rural people in the region stated that “ the reviewing techniques revive the skills and it celebrate traditional cultures” ( K, Le Roux, Personal communication, 12 August 2018). And I intend not to agree with her statement when it come to the issue of preserving our local cultures, because is not throughout the changing of our unique cultures and selling of these cultural artefacts to the western markets to tourists and private collectors with less knowledge about the value of these objects.
But “preserving” can only be done first by keeping these artefacts unique to people cultures and try not to reduce their value by promoting mass produced products to support cultural tourism. And we must encourage the proper recording of information around the products to avoid loss of connectivity through trade. Annaleen commented that “preserving should involve the older generation through workshop with the young generation and their standard should be uplifted to march the special effort on how to preserve them, which will make the people proud of what they are producing” (A. Eins, Personal communication, 08 August 2018). On the other hand the issue of preserving is challenged by standard of galleries that still consider their standard which does not accept crafts to fine arts, a believe that these artefacts are made by people who use it in the process of living in their own cultures.
Private collectors and Art institutions
Collectors are the main influencers of the markets, they are the right people with right finance, most of them buy these customary arts at a time when people needed money and they contribute to the development of customary arts in Namibia by bringing them in the contemporary sphere. And Art Institutions play a huge role in promoting customary arts, education in arts and access to information, raise funds, create platforms because of intervention with the local community, they have resources that play role in sustaining raw materials. On the other hand is mainly the role of museums to preserve cultures but it seems like the galleries are taking over compare to museums, the museums must keep track of changes in customary arts and preserve the transformation.
Erastus Hangula is a Curator at the National Arts Gallery of Namibia. He holds a BA in Perfoming Arts and presently a Masters of Arts student in Performing Arts at the University of Namibia.
References
Cowen, T. (2002) Creative Destruction – how globalization is changing the world’s cultures. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Esteva, G. (1997) “Development” in Sachs, W. (ed) The development dictionary: A guide to knowledge as power. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.
Graburn, N. (1976) “Introduction” In Graburn Nelson (ed), Ethnic and Tourist arts; cultural expression from the fourth world. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Erastus Nandjungu Hangula is a Curator and Visual Historian Scholar from Omaalala Village.