An assessment of Seshoeshoe dress as a cultural identity for Basotho women of Lesotho

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Date
2007-09
Authors
Pheto-Moeti, ‘Mabokang Baatshwana
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The focus of this survey study was to investigate the perceptions of the people regarding the seshoeshoe dress as part of the cultural identity for Basotho women in Lesotho. The population for the study was derived from the Lesotho College of Education staff and students, representing consumers, and the seshoeshoe dressmakers within the Central Business District area of Maseru as producers of the seshoeshoe dress. A quantitative research design with both a questionnaire and a structured interview was used to obtain information from the staff and students; an interview schedule was used to gather information from the dressmakers. The study was carried out within the theoretical framework of the cultural, contextual and semiotic perspectives, in which the contextual perspective facilitated an understanding of the interface between the individuals’ appearance and cultural processes. The cultural perspective provided a shared symbolic order within which people interpreted and developed meanings, while the semiotic analysis allowed the investigator to document the functions of dress in terms of its use within communities as well as within the Basotho society. Findings emerging from the study indicate that seshoeshoe dress is a symbol of national identity for Basotho women. Seshoeshoe dress is expensive. Appropriate new styles are acceptable but there is a concern regarding over- modification of the traditional style. Despite the emergence of the modernised seshoeshoe dress styles, and while a certain amount of change is allowed, the traditional style should be maintained and safeguarded as a cultural heritage. Current styles were found to be attractive to both the youth and the elderly, although mostly to the youth. Current styles, in addition to being attractive, demand less fabric and labour. The modified seshoeshoe dress styles are more popular than the traditional styles. Dressmakers are more familiar with the names of motifs than are their customers. A way for classifying these motifs was developed during the study. Preferred colours of consumers are lebete (spleen), blue, brown, golden blue and golden brown. Style, taste, acceptance and fashionability all play an important role in the popularity of seshoeshoe dress. Improved economy and technology have resulted in the emergence of a variety of new styles offering a wider choice to consumers. Seshoeshoe fabric should be used for purposes that will continue to dignify it as part of the cultural identity of the Basotho people. The study recommends that in order for the contributions of the Morija Arts and Cultural Festival and, the Cultural Days held at schools to be sustainable in terms of the significance of seshoeshoe as a cultural identity for Basotho women, the government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment should formalise these activities at national level.
Afrikaans: Die doel van die studie was om die persepsies van die Basotho-volk met betrekking tot die seshoeshoe-drag as ’n element van die kulturele identiteit van die Basotho-vroue in Lesotho te ondersoek. Die populasie vir die studie het bestaan uit die personeel en studente van die Lesotho Onderwyskollege, wat die verbruikers verteenwoordig, en die seshoeshoe-kleremaaksters in die Sentrale Besigheidsdistrik van Maseru, as vervaardigers van die seshoeshoe-drag. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp met ’n gestruktureerde en ’n ongestruktureerde vraelys is gebruik om inligting by die personeel en studente in te win. ‘n Onderhoudskedule is gebruik om inligting by die kleremaaksters in te win. Die studie is binne die teoretiese raamwerk van die kulturele, kontekstuele en semiotiese perspektiewe uitgevoer, waarbinne die kontekstuele perspektief ’n begrip van die koppelvlak tussen die voorkoms van die individu en die kulturele prosesse fasiliteer. Die kulturele perspektief het ’n gedeelde simboliese orde gelewer waarbinne die volk die betekenisse geïnterpreteer en ontwikkel het, terwyl die semiotiese analise die ondersoeker toegelaat het om die funksies van kleredrag in terme van gebruik binne gemeenskappe, sowel as binne die Basotho-gemeenskap, te dokumenteer. Bevindinge van die studie het getoon dat die seshoeshoe-drag ’n simbool van die nasionale identiteit van die Basotho-vroue is. Seshoeshoe-drag is baie duur. Toepaslike nuwe style is aanvaarbaar, maar kommer bestaan met betrekking tot die oormodifikasie van die tradisionele styl. Ten spyte van die verskyning van die moderne seshoeshoe-dragstyle, en alhoewel ’n sekere mate van verandering toelaatbaar is, behoort die tradisionele styl gehandhaaf en bewaar te word as ’n voorbeeld van kulturele erfenis. Hedendaagse style word deur beide die jeug en die ouer mense aantreklik gevind, hoewel meestal die jeug. Hedendaagse style, buiten die feit dat dit aantreklik is, verg ook minder materiaal en arbeid. Die veranderde seshoeshoe-dragstyle is gewilder as die tradisionele style. Kleremaaksters is meer vertroud met die name van die motiewe as wat hulle kliënte is. ’n Manier om hierdie motiewe te klassifiseer is tydens hierdie studie ontwerp. Die kleure wat deur kliënte verkies word, is lebete (“spleen”), blou, bruin, goudblou en goudbruin. Styl, smaak, aanvaarding en mode het alles ’n belangrike rol gespeel in die gewildheid van die seshoeshoe-drag. Vanweë verbeterde ekonomie en tegnologie is daar ’n voorkoms van ’n verskeidenheid nuwe style wat ’n wyer keuse aan kliënte bied. Seshoeshoe-materiaal behoort gebruik te word omrede dit sal voortgaan om ’n waardigheid te verleen wat deel is van die kulturele identiteit van die Basotho-volk. Die studie stel voor dat, ten einde die bydraes van die Morija-kunste, die kulturele fees en die kultuurdae wat by skole gehou word aan te moedig met betrekking tot die betekenis van seshoeshoe as deel van die kulturele identiteit van Basotho-vroue, behoort die Ministerie van Toerisme, Kultuur en die Omgewing hierdie aktiwiteite op ’n nasionale vlak te formaliseer.
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Keywords
Dissertation (M.Sc. (Home Economics))--University of the Free State, 2005, Clothing and dress -- Symbolic aspects -- Lesotho, Ethnic costume, Women's clothing -- Lesotho, Group identity, Sotho women -- Lesotho -- Social life and customs
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