South African Crafts and Dance

Maseru--whose name is a Sesotho word meaning “place of the sandstone”--is the capital of Lesotho, and also the largest city in the kingdom. It is situated on the north western border with South Africa. The Alliance Francaise of Maseru, in collaboration with Lesotho’s Pusha Love campaign, French Institute South Africa and Mantsopa Communications, have put their minds together on a creative workshop to develop giant puppets. Many Basotho artists from diverse backgrounds: sculptors, writers, dancers, scriptwriters, welders, seamstresses, and painters, participated in the workshop to make giant puppets to promote healthy behaviors among communities and individuals. While the giant puppets have other cultural meanings, the campaign challenges men to find their individual reason to get an HIV test. After their creation, the giant puppets have since embarked on a tour of Lesotho, reaching communities with important messages about health and HIV testing.

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