“Sisal originates from southern Mexico and was exported globally in the 19th century. Sisal produces the longest and strongest natural plant fibres, hence the longest and strongest ropes, … Read More
“Sisal originates from southern Mexico and was exported globally in the 19th century. Sisal produces the longest and strongest natural plant fibres, hence the longest and strongest ropes, everything from the largest ropes to tie battleships to docks to twine for boxes.
After traveling through Tanzania Kapwani Kiwanga was fascinated by the natural plant fibres and its symbolistic political, economic and social history. The agave cactus was first brought illegally to Tanzania by German plantation owners who began to develop the crop on a large scale. When Tanzania became an independent nation state, plantations that had once been privately owned became nationalized, in an attempt to assure Tanzania would be economically self-sufficient. Sisal was meant to play an economic role in the country becoming an independent socialist state. Ujamaa socialism failed, for many different reasons, but when the price of sisal plummeted on the world markets it contributed to this as it adversely affected prospects of financial resilience.”
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