FRANCISTOWN: An 81-yearold Raphael Deka has since the pre-colonial era saw a niche in wheeled transport by turning used tyres into rubber mats to fend for his family. Over the past 67 years, Deka has raised his 17 children through his artistic crafting business.

The crafter has been providing for his family through selling rubber mats, metal collecting dustpans and flower containers, which are made from recycled objects.

In an interview with Arts & Culture, Deka said he was born in Rhodesia, modern Zimbabwe during the pre-colonial era in which there was almost complete absence of wheeled transport and the people back then relied mostly on animals for transportation. Just a year before his family relocated to the then Bechuanaland Protectorate in 1955, the octogenarian started teaching himself the art of crafting different objects. At the age of 14, he started turning used tyres into rubber mats. Deka said he then took one of the sample rubber mats in an attempt to sell it along the streets of Harare.

“Surprisingly the rubber mat was purchased on my way to the selling point. The same man made orders for six more rubber mats the same day. The business was lucrative and I was able to extend my crafts to some of the local businesses,” said the jubilant crafter. Just when the business was

doing so well, my family decided to relocate to the Bechuanaland Protectorate, the current Botswana for much greener pastures. Upon arrival in Botswana in 1956, he started doing some extra work to help his parents who were working as helpers. He would then during his spare time, collect used tyres.

He then pursued his passion again, by crafting artistic mats as per the clients’ preferences and orders. Due to the few wheeled transport at the time, he was often times forced to board a train to Plumtree in Zimbabwe where he collected used tyres when he received lots of orders.

Deka said he would also spend days on the road travelling to Maun so that he can sell his products to tourists in the tourism-rich area. The crafter said in 1968, the crafting business was blossoming as there were many cars in the surrounding and motorists threw worn tyres everywhere. He added: “I

was unstoppable by that time and received lots of orders due to my artistic rubber mats. Some people brought their children and workers so that I could transfer my skills to them,” he added.

Now, staying in the Bluetown location in Francistown with a big family, the crafter said he has managed to send all his 17 children and some of his grandchildren to school through his artistic skills.

The talented Deka has since learned another crafting skill of turning used metal roofing sheets into metal collecting dust pads, flower and money containers using recycled tins. He collects some of the materials he uses from local scrap yards.

However, the crafter is still producing rubber mats for different companies and individuals. One of his clients is Haskins building hardware as he said they regularly order up to 30 rubber mats at a time.