From grass to plastic: The Effects of Economic Development on the Design and Production of the Traditional Swazi Grass Mat Made by Women

Patel, Ramila2006-11-012006-11-012006-11-01http://hdl.handle.net/10539/1577Student Number : 9812661N - MA dissertation - School of Art - Faculty of HumanitiesThis research focuses on change and the effects of economic development on the design and production of the traditional grass mat made by women in Swaziland. The visual quality of the traditional Swazi grass mat has transformed. The mat making technique remains unchanged, as does the main raw material in the construction of the mat, but now the traditional grass is accompanied by an artificial element: sweet wrappers, creating shimmering new designs. The technology of making grass mats has been revolutionised with the introduction of the Imbongolo mat-making frame. These changes represent an example of a dynamic art form in the context of the deep-rooted tradition of Swazi material culture. Through interviews with a number of mat-makers and a comprehensive collection of mat samples gathered over an extended period these modifications have been recorded and evaluated in terms of the producers’ response to economic constraints, and the availability of new plastic materials.277131 bytes12067 bytes29087 bytes15524 bytes35436 bytes31369 bytes145898 bytes24211 bytes98144 bytes15478 bytes103754 bytes215790 bytes21087 bytes140125 bytes295093 bytes706402 bytes1588419 bytes75890 bytes177168 bytes128977 bytes219087 bytes275038 bytes288190 bytes38149 bytes27722 bytes114581 bytes113152 bytes110022 bytes176006 bytes286473 bytes223804 bytes64650 bytes103188 bytes180095 bytes62562 bytes11811 bytes11737 bytes15472 bytes10959 bytesapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfenswazigrassmatplasticimbongoloFrom grass to plastic: The Effects of Economic Development on the Design and Production of the Traditional Swazi Grass Mat Made by WomenThesis