Letsema, villagers coming together to accomplish heavy… (Lesotho)
Nomination: Urgent Safeguarding List 2012
EN: The stretching of the cow skin is done after the burial. This is done normally by group of men (letsema) who come together to accomplish this task. They use sharp sticks to pin down the skin and leave the skin to try up.
EN: After being left in the sun for some days, the skin is now dry ready for the second step which is the process of the skin scraping.
EN: Here men who have gathered together, use instruments for cleaning the cow skin such, they use metalic like instruments. Since this work require more effort, they help each other. One stick (phalo) on the skin and another pulls to remove the skin.
EN: 'Phalo', the main instrument used in cleaning cow's skin (mokhahla)
EN: The leather ropes are being prepared by men who tie them on a strong and big tree and they swing them in order as a way of softening them. They are used for different households for different purposes.
EN: Men perform striding traditional dance after cleaning the cows skin and softening it with their hands. The skin is now ready, close relatives can use it as a blanket as shown or mat to sleep on and they belief it belongs to their deseased relative.
EN: Threshing of the sorghum shows men going in a circle, to prepare the grain for consumption. Another activity of (Letsema), members of the community who do not have farm lands can share with those who have land.
EN: Women cleaning sorghum. Wind plays a major role in the final cleaning of the grain. It should be noted that women know better how to harness the winding power for final cleaning.
EN: Women are winnowing, wind plays a major role in final cleaning of the grain. It should be noted that women know better to harness the winding power for final cleaning.
EN: (Nyakafatane) this is the food prepared during letsema. For preparing this dish, women use the unwanted waste from the sorghum for fuel and can also be eaten by domestic animals.
