Embroidery might seem like a simple craft, but for the women of Mogalakwena in rural Limpopo, it is much more – it is a form of storytelling, resistance and livelihood.

A documentary by University of Pretoria (UP) master’s student Motlatjo Mogoboya explores how the women use needle and thread to confront the social and economic challenges they face in post-apartheid South Africa.

Produced as part of Mogoboya’s master’s coursework in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies in UP’s Faculty of Humanities, and under the supervision of Dr Nisa Paleker, the documentary focuses on the women of Mogalakwena, a rural community in Limpopo. Their work at the Mogalakwena Craft Art Centre has not only been a source of income, but also a means of engaging with gendered, racialised and economic inequalities in South Africa since 1994.

Mogoboya says she made the documentary to centre black women’s experiences within their relevant social contexts. By focusing on the marginalised voices of the Mogalakwena women, she aims to reflect broader patterns of gender inequality. This approach is deeply personal for Mogoboya.

“Coming from a black, female-led household, it became apparent to me that [black women’s] experiences in many social and historical contexts are ignored,” she says. “The film responds to this silence, seeking to restore visibility and agency to these women’s realities.”

The documentary captures quiet moments of embroidery and conversation, revealing how this traditionally domestic craft functions as both cultural preservation and self-expression. The women’s stitching tells stories of resilience and survival, reflecting their experiences of absence, hardship and hope.

Mogoboya frames these narratives within the concept of “triple oppression” that she says continues to shape black women’s lives in South Africa.

“Black women have suffered from a triple oppression – race, economic exploitation and gender,” she explains. “This oppression has evolved and taken different forms, including persistent gender pay gaps, unpaid care work and limited economic opportunities, especially in rural areas.”

The film offers a critical examination of power dynamics within empowerment projects,  exploring the dynamics that inform the relationship between the women and the Craft Art Centre. It highlights how these dynamics are shaped by South Africa’s colonial and apartheid history, which entrenched black women’s social, racial and economic marginalisation.

Mogoboya’s research also explores how embroidery and textile arts serve as alternative archives; the significance of using a feminised, domestic craft to challenge dominant historical narratives; and whether these crafts provide meaningful income and empowerment in rural contexts.

The documentary illustrates that embroidery is a form of historical testimony rooted in the hands and memories of women who have been excluded from formal archives. This idea was further recognised when the film was included in UP Museums exhibition Bokgabo ba mašela: The Art of Textiles, which runs until October. The exhibition presents textiles from around the world, highlighting their cultural and historical significance.

“Textiles are often overlooked as a medium of artistic expression, yet they have been central to shaping our history through threads and fabrics,” curator Uthando Baduza says. “We [gain] a deeper understanding of individual and collective histories.”

The exhibition traces textile traditions from 12th-century Mapungubwe to contemporary South African fashion, highlighting the power of textiles to convey resilience, culture and identity. Including Mogoboya’s documentary within this context affirms its argument that embroidery functions as both art and archive.

The documentary portrays the women not as passive recipients of development but as active agents shaping meaning through their craft. It avoids romanticising their labour, instead presenting it as a complex mix of creativity and constraint, empowerment and exploitation. Ultimately, the film challenges traditional views of history and heritage, expanding them to include experiences as encoded in textile work.

“If we are truly committed to transforming historical scholarship and cultural heritage practice, we must begin by listening to the voices that have been silenced for too long and by recognising the many forms that history can take,” Mogoboya says.

Bokgabo ba mašela: The Art of Textiles runs until 17 October 2025, and can be viewed at UP’s Bridge Gallery on Hatfield campus.

Watch the documentary here.