Kaross featured embroiderer for October: Elisa Manyama

Elisa Manyama (58), who was our featured embroiderer for October, is a woman who exemplifies the Afrikaans saying, “haar hande staan vir niks verkeerd nie”. This literally says that her hands cannot do wrong, and it signifies someone who is good with her hands and is industrious in her work.

Elisa has been embroidering for Kaross for 26 years

Besides being a very diligent and neat embroiderer who has worked for Kaross since 1990, she has also managed to raise seven children with her husband, Johannes Monareng, and is a keen farmer who loves to grow maize and beans in the fields next to her house. Not surprisingly, her favourite embroidery colours are those of the earth and the sky, ochre and royal blue.

Elisa is from the Pedi people (previously also known as the Northern Sotho) and lives in Nyagelane village with her family.  Her husband, Johannes, was employed at a dry cleaning business in Johannesburg for many years, but is now on pension.

Her large family keeps her busy with many other activities

Retirement is not something Elisa herself is considering very soon.

This is partly because, although the eldest of her seven children (Patric, Lassy, Lency, Loraine, Emma, Moses and Veronica) is already 37 years old, her youngest at 16 years is still in school, and as she says, “My work helps me a lot. I brought up my children with Kaross.”

But the other part seems to be the love of working with her hands - she loves embroidery, she loves farming, and she loves being able to do things for her family.

This month we at Kaross salute Elisa Manyama – for her hard work, and for the beautiful embroidered art she is able to produce amongst her many other duties.

View and buy works by Elisa and our other featured embroiderers here.

Images of fashion and home decor items embroidered by Elisa