Honouring the Creative Spirit of San Women
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
The gallery section of the National Museum and Art Gallery will showcase an extraordinary tribute to the resilience and artistry of Botswana’s San women with an exhibition styled Women of Kuru: The Gathering this month.
Officially opening to the public on the 14 November, this all-female showcase is curated by ReCurate’s Renee Eisen-Khonat to celebrate San women’s enduring contributions to cultural preservation, bringing together 11 talented artists from the Kuru Art Project for an unprecedented collective exhibition.
The project is located in the village of D’kar, which lies 35 kilometres north of Ghanzi.
A tribute to cultural heritage
The exhibition pays homage to the vital role women play as both gatherers in their communities and as artists who preserve Botswana’s cultural heritage through their creations.
“Women of Kuru: The Gathering honours the culturally and historically significant work that the San women continue to do in their communities,” said Eisen-Khonat in an interview.
Through the collective artwork of painters and embroiderers, the exhibition captures the essence of traditional San life, particularly the art of gathering, which remains a central theme in their work.
Honouring the trailblazers of Kuru
In addition to the works of contemporary artists, the exhibition will include a retrospective of pieces by Coex’ae (Dada) Qgam, Cgoise Ntcox’o, and Nxaedom (Ankie) Qhomatcã, foundational members of the Kuru Art Project.
These trailblazing women helped establish the project in 1990, which has since supported San artists from D’Kar, enabling them to share their stories and traditions with the world. This segment of the exhibition serves as a powerful homage to the legacy of the women who laid the foundation for the artistic and cultural narrative of the San people.
While many male San artists have achieved notable success, the work of Kuru’s female artists presents a distinct perspective. In contrast to the male-focused themes of hunting and animal life, the women’s art is rooted in gathering, the integral activity that embodies female identity within San culture.
A uniquely female perspective
“Gathering food in the veld is a woman’s role in San culture,” Eisen-Khonat explained. “Through their art, the women convey the significance of edible and medicinal plants, a legacy they pass down to younger generations.”
Beyond showcasing beautiful artwork, Women of Kuru: The Gathering seeks to empower its artists economically and professionally. Eisen-Khonat shared how her visit to the Kuru Art Project inspired her to champion an exhibition that would bring visibility to these artists and support their professional growth.
By featuring the work of these remarkable women, the exhibition aims to create new economic opportunities while highlighting a narrative often overshadowed in indigenous art.
A call to corporates
Eisen-Khonat hopes the exhibition will inspire corporations to invest in Botswana’s heritage by starting or expanding corporate art collections featuring local, indigenous art. “We are putting out a clarion call to all corporates to see this exhibition as an opportunity to grow their collections with our nation’s first peoples’ artwork,” she said.
This invitation reflects a desire to see San women’s art celebrated not only in galleries but as an integral part of Botswana’s cultural and corporate landscape.
Preserving intangible heritage
Ultimately, Women of Kuru: The Gathering is about more than art but a cultural preservation project that captures the intangible heritage of Botswana’s first people. Celebrating the San women’s legacy as gatherers, artists and cultural custodians, this exhibition is a profound reminder of the stories embedded in Botswana’s heritage sites, from Tsodilo Hills to Kolobeng Hills.
By bringing these stories to the forefront, Women of Kuru: The Gathering offers a glimpse into the timeless traditions of Botswana’s indigenous communities, honouring the past and empowering the future.
The artists are Kg’akg’am Tshabu, Cgoma Simon, Ncg’abe (Nxabe) Tase, Ncaote (Ncaotoe) Thama, Ntcisa (Nqisa) Kase, Tabax’ae Ntcox’o, Mary Morris, Selinah Morris, Bau Kaashe, and Ncaoka John and Maudie Brown who is the Project Coordinator.