The origin of the Vukani Association - which means 'wake up and go' - may be found in the Evangelical Lutheran Church Mseni Old Age Home at Rorke's Drift, where Swedish missionary Pastor Kjel Lofroth spotted potential in the traditional grass weaving skills of the people.

The first Vukani products marketed in Sweden were beer strainers made of Ukhasi grass. However, there was a saturation point for these and Lofroth encouraged people to convert their weaving technique into making flat mats. The particular weave and grass had not been used before for making flat articles. A great deal of patience was needed to make the mats to the correct measurements, straight at the edges and suitable for use as table mats. The mats began to be sold in Sweden and locally, and a few found their way to the African Art Centre.

In 1972 pastor Lofroth and his wife moved to Eshowe, where the small headquarters of Vukani were established under the auspices of the Zululand Council of Churches. I went on one of the first trips with Lofroth and we returned triumphant, after many kilometres of driving, with two baskets.

The Vukani Association became an independent, non-profitmaking organisation, owned cooperatively by its many groups of crafts people and aimed at coordinating and supporting the production and marketing of home craft in remote areas of Zululand, where employment opportunities are limited.

Membership of Vukani is open to men and women. Each group - there were 60 by I 986 - elects a committee to help producers assess the quality of their work, and price it. There is a management committee elected from representatives of each group at annual general meetings.

'In 1973 the Methodist congregation provided a small storage room where articles were priced, displayed and sold. Soon bigger premises were needed and. with a generous donation from the South African Sugar Association, a loan from the Anglo-American Chairman's Fund and the Vukani Association's own funds, spacious premises were acquired in Eshowe.

As well as inspiring a revival of traditional skill and artistic expression, Vukani has been the source of considerable financial benefit to crafts people and their families. Though basket weaving is not confined to women, most of the weavers are women who work from home and combine motherhood with being a wife, farmer and artist.

Many traditional skills are evident in the products of the Vukani Association - including wood carving, pottery and beadwork - but it is the revival of grass weaving and basketry which is most prominent and has become closely associated with the name.

The African Art Centre can lay no claim to the success of Vukani, except that it was the Association's first South African outlet and arranged a number of exhibitions of Vukani work. However, Vukani inspired us - as the Rorke's Drift Art Centre had done earlier - to be perceptive regarding the potential of often disadvantaged people, and to seek out and reward people for work of high quality.

The first exhibition of Vukani baskets was held at the African Art Centre in 1974 - It was opened by Andrew Verster, who commented on the definition of 'art' and 'craft':

"... the African does not make the artificial distinction between art and craft that the European makes. Nor does he or she need a council of industrial design to tell him or her what is good and what is bad."

By the end of the 1970s the importance of Vukani baskets was firmly established, and today most public galleries in South Africa have examples in their collections.

In 1979 an exhibition of Zulu craft work, mainly basket weaving, was held at the Durban Art Gallery. The collection was from the South African Museum in Cape Town, and comprised a comprehensive range of baskets which the Museum had acquired from Vukani.

In March 1980 the Zululand Society of Arts became aware, through the Vukani Association, that an exhibition of indigenous art in Eshowe was long overdue. The African Art Centre was asked to coordinate the exhibition, which was displayed delightfully by Anthea Martin in an old house in Eshowe. Several Vukani basket weavers attended the opening.

During the time the Lofroths were with Vukani they preserved some outstanding basketry. Their fine collection has been acquired by the Vukani Collection Trust, is housed in the old Post Office in Eshowe and has been comprehensively documented.

In December 1990, to remind myself of the pioneering work of Vukani in the revitalisation of basket weaving and in response to a request from weavers, a visit to Hlabisa basket weavers was arranged for me by Jannie van Heerden, a senior arts and crafts subject adviser for the former KwaZulu Department of Education.

The ilala palm baskets made by many weavers in the Hlabisa area in KwaZulu-Natal have been recognised for a longtime as being outstanding both in weaving and design.

The long journey of four hours from Durban to Hlabisa. and then to the homes of weavers - many of whom Van Heerden knew well - was well worth it. An outstanding collection of baskets was brought back to Durban. The names of weavers who stand out are Lorentia Dlamini, Beauty Ngxongo and the only man involved, Reuben Ndwandwe.

All three had been early Vukani weavers. However, no longer dependent on the Vukani Association, the Hlabisa basket weavers have to a certain extent become entre­preneurs. This is an important development in the craft industry. The quality of their work remains high, and the weavers are often able to get the financial rewards they deserve.