Skin products

The Kalahari is home to a variety of wild animals. San are licensed and very skilled in hunting them. The skins are stripped from the animals and then processed into all kinds of products. Traditionally, the San people use these skins for clothing, as blankets and as mats. After skinning the game, the hide is dried thoroughly, thus easing the further processing. Using an iron scraper and stones, the remaining meat particles are removed and, if so wished, the fur. The hide is then soaked with, amongst other substances, water and fat and buried with dung and left for some days. After that the hide is put out to dry and then rubbed and kneaded by hand. Often a natural dye is applied to give the skin a warmer tone.

SKINS, BLANKETS AND MATS

San use skins to keep themselves warm, sometimes to wrap around themselves, most times as blankets to sleep underneath. If used for mats, usually the skins are left furred. The look of these products very much depends upon what game is available in the season. Besides cattle and goats, various antelopes and predators such as black or grey backed jackal and wild cat are used for skins and mats. Smaller skins are sewn together into larger mats and blankets. The sewing is done by using an awl and a thread made of twisted animal sinew. A kaross is composed of several skins sewn together in a pattern, often showing the characteristic pattern of the animals, such as jackals.

SKIRTS, SKIN HATS AND APRONS

Skirts are worn while dancing and are often decorated with ostrich beads or glass beads. Some skirts have fringes for decoration. Traditionally, aprons are worn by both children and women. They are made from the soft skin of springbok, duiker or steenbok and decorated with beads. Furred skin hats are made from the same material.

GATHERING BAGS

San go out into the bush to collect veldfood products, often tubers and roots, or beans that grow on bushes. These are all gathered in a smooth bag, hung from the neck. The bags are often decorated with frills and beads. The bags, in a variety of shapes and sizes, are made out of antelope skins, such as springbok, duiker or steenbok.

BRACELETS, NECKLACES and EARRINGS

Small square laced straps of leather can be shaped into jewellery, clipping copper and aluminium rings around it. This way bracelets can be shaped in one piece. Long straps make necklaces. By splitting the straps, double stranded ones are made. Short straps are shaped into earrings, either one or two strands, sometimes even triangles. This jewellery is both original and light in weight, combining very well with different complexions and clothing styles.

HAIRPINS

By cutting pieces of leather into shapes and decorating these, hairpins are made. The hairpins are decorated with beads, pierced with a wooden pin and shaped like butterfly, oval or bow-tie.