Timbuktu Woven Bowl By Diidhi Disho
A pair of twill woven shorts featuring slanted front pockets, buttoned back pockets, a zip pocket, buttoned waist, and keychain loop.
Embrace the warmth of the Timbuktu Woven Bowl from Dilwana.com! This charming handcrafted piece, woven by African artisans, mimics the shape of a traditional bowl with intricate patterns that celebrate African heritage. Ideal for small storage, delicate home decor, or a heartfelt gift, it measures 11x35x35 cm and weighs 567 grams, offering a lightweight yet sturdy design. By purchasing, you directly support these talented artists—shop now and enhance your space with sustainable African artistry!
Artist: Diidhi Disho
Diidhi was born in Shakawe, Botswana, in 1968. She has three sons and a daughter, though her partner or nyechi (betrothed) still hasn't paid for a proper Mbukushu marriage. She went to school for two years, but stopped when the family moved to Etsha.
She learnt to weave when she was ten years old, but it took her many years to weave baskets that were good enough to be sold. With her first earnings she bought bread, which was very scarce at the time. With money from subsequent baskets she bought herself her first pair of shoes, an achievement that made her very proud.
Diidhi was originally a farmer, growing maize, millet, peanuts and pumpkins. Rainfall is erratic in this part of Botswana, making farming a laborious and unreliable means of subsistence. She found farming bearable though tiresome while she could still use cattle to plough. As a result of the Contagious Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) or cattle lung disease epidemic in Ngamiland in 1996, all cattle in the area had to be put down. Diidhi had one cow, for which she received five hundred Pula (less than US $100) in compensation. She used the money to buy food. She says that tilling the soil by hand is too laborious, and she is glad that she is able to weave baskets for a living.
In 1992 she was invited to become a teacher for other weavers. She enjoyed it, and the weavers were also glad because they all wanted to upgrade the quality of their baskets.
But as Diidhi says: “The problem with having a job is that people know where to find you if they are hungry!”