Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon

Lexicon Cordage _____________________________________________________ Various South African plants have been traditionally used for the braiding of thread, twine and rope by those peoples where the plant is endemic. The Afrikaans 'tou' [rope] is generically applied in the local vernaculars in reference to various species of plants, such as Cyperacea or Juncaceae, that are used for cordage, hence, for example, matjiesgoedtou for Cyperus textilis (see Matjiesgoed). 'Bowstring hemp', twine made from the fibre of Sansevieria species, has been used from time immemorial and employed particularly for (as its vernacular name suggests) bowstrings by the indigenous peoples, although it serves in the making of, amongst others, mats for their matjieshuise. The 'rope-wood grape' refers to species of Rhoicissus, in particular R. tomentosa where the split lianes are used for rope for tying down thatch as well as basket-making. 'Boesmandruif' [Afrikaans- also 'Bobbejaandruif', 'bobbejaantou': Rhoicissus digitata (Smith 1966:147)]) offers pliable branches of long lengths, used by the Indigenous peoples for tying together of poles in the construction of their dwellings and suchlike. Bark of various trees, when pounded into fibre threads, are useful for rope, such as that of the baobab (Adansonia digitata), swee- thorn (Acacia karoo), knob-thorn (Acacia nigrescens), wild fig (Ficus spp.), sickle-bush (Dichrostachys cinerea). Cordage is also used for matting and fabric.