ASSOCIATIONS
Thatching as an artform
Thatching with natural grass is a centuries-old artform that has been
transmitted, especially in Europe, from generation to generation.
By Thatchers Association of South Africa (TASA)
It can take up to five years to qualify as a general thatcher.
H
istorically, thatching was widely practiced in the
Cape, but due to economic conditions, the younger
generation was forced to seek out other pastures.
Thatching is not simply about grass being packed on top of
grass and stitched onto the laths, but a fine artform that
takes about five years to learn and more years to refine.
The thatching industry is one of few trades that offers
informal craftsmanship for a long period of time. There are
a few phases a prospective thatcher has to go through, and
the techniques are learned by working with thatchers who
have years of experience.
BECOMING A THATCHING MASTER
The path that a novice thatcher takes to become qualified is
pretty involved and requires a lot of skill. Starting as a
general worker they learn to clean and prepare the thatch
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APRIL / MAY 2019 //
and then master the technique of throwing the bundles
about 10 to 15m up onto the pole construction where the
thatcher is. This can take up to a year.
Next, they will be promoted to the position of a sprei
who works on the inside of the roof and there can be two
people who work together on the inside. One person goes
ahead and lays the spray layer (ceiling layer) and makes it
neat, and the other pushes the needle from the inside back
to the thatcher on top. To master this position can take
between one and two years. As such, it is essential to be
comfortable with working at heights.
The next level is a basic thatcher who works on the
outside of the roof and will begin mastering the technique
to lay the bottom layer that must be double stitched. They
learn the basics from the bottom eve line and work
upwards. For example, the basic thatcher will familiarise
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