Oodi Weaversentswe

The little village of Oodi is the foremost village next to the Francistown road on the right, some 20km from Gaborone. It is famous for the internationally highly praised Lentswe-la-Odi (Rocky Hills of Oodi) weavers. The cooperative was set up in 1973 by Swedes Ulla and Peder Gowenius, who taught local people to spin, dye and weave. These days the whole enterprise is owned by local members of the cooperative.

The weavers manufacture hand-dyed, hand-spun, hand-woven wall hangings, tablecloths, napkins, jackets, bedspreads and cushion covers depicting village scenes, animals and simple patterns all planned by the weavers themselves. All work made here is made from new wool which is hand spun on wooden spinning wheels, dyed and permanently mothproofed in big pots above an outside fire and, apart from the tapestries, all the completed items can be hand washed.

Several tapestries tell a story – usually a historical event – so they are not only fine-looking works of art but a record of significant past happenings.

Guests are received and during the working hours the artists can be viewed weaving their colorful creations.