We have named our beads Okawa. This means small treasure, or small and lovely in Oshiwambo, the language of the Ovambo people. The Ovambo make up our largest people group here in Namibia.
Okawa Beads
We have named our beads Okawa. This means small treasure, or small and lovely in Oshiwambo, the language of the Ovambo people. The Ovambo make up our largest people group here in Namibia.
Okawa Bead artisans
Here area few of the bead artisans.
Our beads are hand rolled, or pressed into molds, then fired once. After the 1st firing, the beads are hand painted, glazed, and fired again at a higher temperature.
The process may sound simple, but it's actually very labor intensive, and the learning curve to get the firing right is a steep one. None of the beads can touch in the final firing, or they will stick together. Also the wires one puts them on, tend to sag in the high fireing heat so it is always a guess how close to place the wires.
New Venture
We have recently added ceramic bead making to our project in Namibia. Getting our beads imported is aways a problem here, and we hope this new venture will provide more jobs as well as lessen our imports. As our project purpose, is to to help the unemployed, we have always used Fair Trade principles. Now, we are starting to wade through the paper work to begin the long process of certification.
Bead class
We have a special "bead room" at the back of my house here in Okahandja. Thursdays are bead class day.
Making a Difference
Development work is hard and discouraging at times, so imagine our joy and surprise to find out how Hildeguard has been spending her bead money ! Here you can see her "before" tin house and below her new brick house in progress.
As we say in America " You Go Girl!"
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