Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
Iman Mani
20 May 2011
HILDA Tarabalunga Bandio gave birth to six children: Four boys and two girls. Sad to say one of each gender has passed away. This leaves her today with three adult sons and one daughter, between the ages of 40 and 32 years.
With her child rearing years behind her, she now has more time to concentrate on her traditional clothes line. It helps her to know that her husband, a former civil servant, who retired some years ago, is still around and willing to continue lending a helping hand wherever, whenever required.
He has been especially useful, she says, when it comes to writing proposals. This means she’s well set to tackle the future with confidence.
Although both Mr and Mrs Bandio originated from Bukoba District in Kagera Region, the couple had met in Mwanza Town, while he was going through some training, as an officer in the fisheries section of the Ministry of Natural Resources, there.
At that time he had not finished his studies at Makerere University in Uganda so they made the best of their time together while he was in the country.
As part of his studies and training he had also to travel to the United States of America and Holland, which gave her, doubts that this man would still be interested in her when he finishes. So it should be easily understood why she was pleasantly surprised that before he took-up his first post, after completing his studies, they got married and moved to the Isamilo area in Mwanza Region.
Todate the couple have 42 years of marriage and Mrs Bandio says they still love each other very much. From that time up until eight years ago her main base was in Mwanza. She made frequent trips to Dar es Salaam, as it was required.
Then in 2003, things took an about turn and they rented their home in Mwanza and took up permanent residence in Temeke District here in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. This then became their new main base and Mwanza remained a place she went now and then on business trips or just visiting friends.
To implant her base even firmer here, as from last year she has moved to Mbagala in the outskirts of the city in a house they bought. “It is this talent of mine that has brought me to Dar es Salaam,” Mrs Bandio told the ‘Daily News on Saturday’ in an interview during the week while on a visit to her workshop in the Kinondoni section of the city.
“It is not wise for me to depend on people in the regions to have a love for such clothing. For example, there is no way you will find a person in Mwanza being prepared to part with 800,000/- for a piece of clothing. They do not know the value of such things or the time that has to be spent to produce a gown like this one here.
Now such clothing cannot be made just like that. If all the material is at hand, it cannot take less than six to seven days to make one,” she explained as she showed me a readymade dress that goes for 800,000/-.
But please don’t make the mistake of thinking that this lady only came into the clothing line since her coming to Dar es Salaam; for that would be most misleading. Actually, it is long before getting married that she has been making ladies and children clothes, although in the regular line of styles and materials.
It is in the area of women accessories that she has been using traditional materials, from her early days. These include things like bags, purses, mats, baskets and decorations on clothes. The seamstress maintains that this has all been towards helping women be more independent. A simple way in which this works is in a case when a section of a mother’s clothing has started to show signs of wear and tear.
She would show them how they can cut this garment down themselves and make something for one of their children instead of throwing it away. Those are the kind of things she has been involved in Bukoba and Mwanza for over four decades. Mrs Bandio herself was taught by a German lady called Godron Lassen, who she stayed with between 1965 and 1968.
They were part of a group within the Lutheran Church in Bokoba. From there she went to stay with another German Madame called Analise Yarn who had since passed away. It was there she stayed until 1969 when she got married. Directly before this she had taken some training as an evangelist in Moshi District in Kilimanjaro Region.
This third of five children: Four girls and a boy, who had her formal schooling in Kagera Region and went to Mwanza after getting married, finished middle school in Bukoba and after Standard Eight. She then went to study theology for one year in Mwika, Moshi Rural District in Kilimanjaro Region. She had chosen this line after being advised by her father, who comes from a German and Bokoba-Tanzania union.
“Since finishing school, all through my working life, I have never worked for anyone but have been self-employed,” she said with much pride. The reasoning behind how she got into making clothing with natural materials seem quiet logical, after hearing her explanation. From some time before she started this line of garments, she had noticed that there was not anyone making such things. Now when a former local singer asked her to make her clothes of this kind, it kindled an idea, which started churning something in her head.
It was only after taking on this challenge that she saw that there was much meaning from doing it. In fact, she has been shown much respect inside and outside of the country, for this line of work. Now in her cosy Kinondoni workshop she has two men, who are basically technicians and eight ladies, who sew and decorate the clothes, which are made right there.
Understandably, she is very proud of being the one who designs all the clothes they make and acknowledges that the ability comes from above.
“There are many reasons why I say this is a talent given by God. Just think of me being able to sit here and think of putting this here and that there and then someone else would come along and find the end product appealing.
This skill can only come from God,” she admits, while pointing to clothing made in regular tree bark, papyrus, bird feathers, coconut shells and banana tree barks. Her customers are mainly ladies, who require clothing of her kind on their graduations, send-offs and kitchen parties.
There is also a steady demand for bridal gowns for brides to be and even bridegrooms. Currently, she is striving to bring her business outside the country. This way she would be bringing more of the spotlight on local art and culture.
Talking of spotlights, this coming Friday 27, Mrs Bandio’s clothing will be on full display at the Ubungo Plaza which is not too far from the up-country bus stand. In this fashion show, which is billed as, “Where young men and women will fascinate the people with original Tanzanian wear made with natural materials,” she will be showing the work of the group, called the Tanzania Women Progressive Trust Fund (MMWATA).
“As a group we have agreed to do this show together to encourage other women to join us to do something that can be seen. The show has been organised by five women, of which I’m the designer. We have been sponsored by the Swiss government through the Swiss Corporation. The other women have the duties of making the accessories and finding the materials used to decorate the clothes,” she explained.
Although she has participated in other exhibitions before, for her ordinary designs, this coming one has filled her with more excitement, she says because of it treading into new territories. Like her four colleagues, besides the obvious nervousness they are going forward with much optimism.
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