From Ethnic to National Cloth: The Diverse Nature of the Tshivenḓa Ṅwenda

In times past, the Tshivenḓa traditional cloth called Ṅwenda was associated with backwardness, stupidity, and had the Vhavenḓa women undermined for being ‘too rural’. Consequently, many dumped their traditional attire for other clothes to march with the times. Recently, Ṅwenda has been drawing attention from both the Vhavenḓa men and women and other ethnic groups because of the uniqueness and beauty of its embroidery. This article aimed to investigate the reason(s) Ṅwenda recently gained prominence and appreciation among the Vhavenḓa and other ethnic groups. The article adopted the qualitative approach and the exploratory design to collect data on the diverse nature and function of Ṅwenda. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen purposively selected designers from six villages in Venḓa, including the Ṱhohoyanḓou Flea Market in the Limpopo Province and three townships in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Two tailors of Miṅwenda were selected from each of the aforementioned villages and townships. Undergirded by the Appreciative and Naturalistic Inquiries, the study also relied on the Inductive Thematic Analysis method for data analysis. It was found that Ṅwenda is used for special occasions such as weddings, parties, graduation ceremonies, and other social gatherings. Ṅwenda was also used to cover chairs, tables, and to decorate gowns, cushions, lampshades, bags, bedspreads or duvet covers, among other things. The article recommends the consideration of the role and significance of Tshivenḓa traditional attires in the ongoing discourses on the consolidation and traditionalisation of African identity as well as women’s empowerment initiatives in the postcolonial context.

Places, moments, objects and people (part II)

In the text I analyze the flea market in Świdnica (Poland): items from different places and times present there. I argue that the meeting of these objects is at the same time indirectly the meeting of these different places and moments in one moment and place. I wonder how is this possible? I refer to three concepts: the global cultural ecumen, the palimpsest and the postulate of treating local and global as closely related. I come to the conclusion that these concepts should be supplemented with ontic properties of place, space, moments and time. Continuity is one of the most important here. The continuity of space and time is a necessary condition for the ecumenical character of culture, the close relationship between local and global, and the palimpsest character of the present day.

PISANGAN NUANSA RETRO

Urban society is a modern society that has daily mobility and high routines and activities. This daily life then guides the city community with an all-practical lifestyle. The lifestyle demands of the urban community often demand to face a job and activity that takes up so much time that it often makes people forget about other needs including rest. This study aims to address the needs of the community, especially the East Pisangan community which is one of the areas in Pulo Gadung sub- district dominated by housing, land allotment used for housing / housing that is equal to 89.63% and the rest is used for roads, green lanes / parks , and lakes, this problem is then exacerbated by the eviction of the flea market which is the center of community gathering, then with a minimal amount of land which is then earmarked for open space and space to gather, through the role of architecture it is hoped that it can create a commercial space in the form of a flea market which is a place rest and communicate between residents so that people can have space to interact comfortably with each other. In this research the methods used are: first, conducting studies and observations; secondly, studying and reviewing the needs of the surrounding community and the need to relieve boredom and rest in the midst of a dense activity; third, compile the program in accordance with the results of the survey, observation and answer the community's needs so that the project objectives will be achieved.Keywords: Architecture; Needs; Rest; SocietyAbstrakMasyarakat kota merupakan masyarakat modern yang memiliki keseharian dengan mobilitas serta berbagai rutinitas dan aktivitas yang tinggi. Keseharian ini kemudian menuntun masyarakat kota dengan gaya hidup serba praktis. Tuntutan gaya hidup masyarakat kota sering sekali menuntut untuk menghadapi suatu pekerjaan dan kegiatan yang begitu menyita waktu sehingga sering sekali membuat masyarakat lupa akan kebutuhan lainnya termasuk istirahat. Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan untuk menjawab kebutuhan masyarakat , terutama masyarakat Pisangan Timur yang merupakan salah satu daerah di kecamatan Pulo Gadung yang di dominasi oleh perumahan, peruntukan lahan yang dipergunakan untuk pemukiman/perumahan yaitu sebesar 89.63% dan sisanya dipergunakan untuk jalan, jalur hijau/taman, dan danau, masalah ini kemudian diperburuk dengan adanya penggusuran pasar loak yang merupakan pusat berkumpulnya masyarakat, kemudian dengan minimnya jumlah lahan yang kemudian di peruntukan untuk ruang terbuka dan ruang untuk berkumpul, melalui peran arsitektur diharapakan dapat menciptakan ruang komersial berupa pasar loak yang menjadi tempat beristirahat dan berkomunikasi antar penghuni sehingga masyarakat dapat memiliki ruang untuk saling berinteraksi dengan nyaman. Dalam penelitian ini metode yang digunakan adalah pertama, melakukan studi dan observasi; kedua, mempelajari dan meninjau kebutuhan dari masyarakat sekitar serta kebutuhan untuk melepas kejenuhan dan beristirhat ditengah aktivitas yang padat; ketiga, menyusun program sesuai dengan hasil survei, observasi serta menjawab kebutuhan masyarakat sehingga tujuan proyek akan tercapai.