Le Roux bids farewell to Omba Arts Trust
Over the years, the Omba Arts Trust has become a trusted home for artisans who want to create, learn and exhibit their crafts.Since day one, Karin le Roux has been the driving force behind Omba, which aims to support sustainable livelihoods and resilience of economically disadvantaged rural artisans in Namibia.
Le Roux has been working in the crafts sector since 1989, working at Rössing Foundation Education Centre in Windhoek, teaching textile skills to adults, where she realised that there were “skills and cultural resources in Namibia’s rural areas which could be directed to tourists and the international market".
In 1991, she organised a basket competition to mark UNESCO’s “Year of the Basket” which culminated in the first exhibition of baskets in the National Art Gallery. This also served as an impetus to establish the basket programme in the Kavango regions and north-central areas in the same year.
Le Roux engaged directly with Khwe weavers in Bwabwata and conducted research which led to the finalisation of a book and exhibition titled Rural Art in Namibia, exhibited in Denmark and Norway.
“We had no intention of marketing craft but it became clear that skills training and making wonderful products required a steady and reliable market,” she said – a realisation which led to the birth of Mud Hut Trading, which was later renamed to Omba Arts Trust.
Fair trade
Omba, through Le Roux’s lens, was a good way to signify trade, as she explains that the word “Omba” is the conus betalunus, which occurs on the east coast of Africa and was traded and worn as body adornment.
“We work in the spirit of fair trade, ensure artisans have the materials and skills they require to make products that are marketable and 100% Namibian.”
As she steps down as the head of the trust, Le Roux says that being part of the artisans’ creative journey has been fulfilling.
“Showcasing Namibia’s best handicrafts and San art to an international audience and seeing the impact of our work on rural artisans and their families has also been very special. She adds that even some of the setbacks faced on the journey have become memories that she looks back on and smiles. These include surviving vehicle breakdowns and getting stuck in mud in the middle of nowhere.
The Omba Arts Trust started their work in communities where the Rössing Foundation had programmes, but their reach spread further than that through collaboration with other NGOs. Omba Arts remains an important player in Namibia’s craft sector, encouraging quality and innovative products rooted in local culture, and celebrating Namibian cultural heritage and skills.
Le Roux hopes that Omba Arts continues to support the artisans it works with and provides regular income to them.
Le Roux became the manager of the Namibia Craft Centre two years after its establishment, and oversaw its renovation, the addition of the Omba Gallery, and facilities like the Craft Café.
Seeing the number of visitors grow from 7 000 when she first took over to over 40 000 when she handed over to the new management was a highlight for her.
“The Namibia Crafts Centre has become and will remain a valuable player in the craft sector in Namibia.”