Plaids from Africa

Plaids from Africa

Basotho Heritage Blankets are very special blankets from Africa, where history and tradition go back more than 100 years. These are strong, warm and soft blankets created to last forever, so that they can be passed down in the family.

The story

The Basotho Heritage Blanket was designed in collaboration between King Moshesh, the founder of the proud Basotho nation, and the British Donald Fraser. The Basotho people have lived in Lesotho around one of South Africa's highest mountains, Thabo Bosiu, since 1833. In Lesotho, Donald Fraser's trading business began when he moved from England in 1876 and established business in 1877.

Donald Fraser became successful in Lesotho and was nicknamed Ramosa Le Ralipere, Father of Kindness, Father of Horses. In the 1880s, he got the idea for the Basotho rugs, because the coarse, sexless rugs that the nation wore did not at all harmonize with the people's strong character and pride. Thus the Moholobela carpet was created. Translated into Danish, it means 'your friend', but the carpet was also nicknamed the 'fertility carpet' and is particularly loved by the Basotho people even to this day.

Many have contributed to both the development and preservation of Basotho Tribal Blankets, and the eye-catching blankets have become a pervasive part of the culture in Lesotho, where the vast majority of shepherds wander around the mountains wearing a warm Basotho Blanket. See them in use in the spectacular film Black Panther .

All carpets were previously produced in England, but production has moved to South Africa at Aranda Textile Mills.

Although Lesotho was founded by 14 different tribes in Africa, it is probably the only country in Africa that is united around one language, namely Sesotho, while South Africa, in comparison, has 11 official languages.

Different plaids with different symbols, colors and stories

There are many different plaids, each with its own history. The blue and red Seanamarena plaid with the sharp black stripe was designed back in the 1930s by Charles Hendry Robertson who owned a shop in the Leribe district of Lesotho, and the shop was called Seanamarena. The word means 'like you' and if you separate the word into two 'Seana marena' it means 'like kings'.

The Seanamarena plaid is particularly sought after and is considered the best of all the Basotho rugs. In a figurative sense in Sesotho, Seanamarena means 'to swear by the Chiefs', and has a motif of maize cobs. In Basotho culture, it is a symbol of fertility and wealth. It is an obvious and personal gift idea, e.g. wedding gift or birthday present.

See the other plaids here .

Charity

For every carpet sold internationally, a share is donated directly to the organisation, Sentebale , which means 'forget me not'. The organization helps and supports the most vulnerable children as well as HIV positive children in Lesotho.

The foundation was founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex in England and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso have collaborated on charity for more than a decade, and the organization Sentebale was founded as a tribute to Princess Diana and Seeiso's mother, Queen Mamohato, who also collaborated closely on charity for HIV and AIDS sufferers. 

Material

The material is a combination of wool and dralon. The proportion of wool is pressed well together, so the plaid feels stronger than many other wool plaids, but this makes it soft and warm at the same time. Dralon has a water-repellent property, which makes it particularly suitable also as an outdoor plaid when the dew falls.

The plaid is therefore suitable for use outdoors on early spring days, bright summer evenings and in late summer. It is of course also a real snooze blanket for the sofa and armchair, perfect for the cold winter days indoors.

The material is 50% wool and 50% dralon.

Measures 155 x 165 cm.


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