Vernacular crafts and thatch roof repairs

Thatching Reeds

The thatching over the two “wolfneus” dormer-gables needed attention and Keith organised with the original specialist-builder, who had re-constructed and re-thatched the roof, to do the repair work.

I arrived on the property with bunches of thatch, scaffolding and ladders waiting in the parking area. On Saturday the wind and threatening rain made me worry that we might not be able to work on the roof.

Mannetjiesriet

The bundles of reed thatch (dekriet), also known as winterriet or mannetjiesriet (Thamnochortus insignis), comes from the Southern Cape. The species’ long, hard-wearing culms found in fynbosveld are the preferred and traditional local thatching material and considered superior to the thatching grasses of the summer-rainfall regions of South Africa.

The thatchers arrived from Elim on time and were ready to get going. Soon they discovered that their scaffolding was inadequate and that they will never get up high enough to work on the roof. Luckily we have our own scaffolding that I had bought on an auction years ago.

Putting in the new beam

The new beam in position

While they set up the scaffolding, I went to buy some drop-sheets to protect the loft floor (brandsolder). On my return I discovered that they had moved the large terracotta hydrangea pots and ripped out all the concealed irrigation that I had so carefully planned.

Removing thatch

When I saw that this development had them flustered, I just asked that we ignore the pots until later and that we focus on getting the scaffolding up and the thatch on the roof.

Inside the loft after the thatch was removed with sun streaming in.

After one cracked timber beam had been replaced in the roof structure, the thatchers became a well-oiled machine. Removing old thatch, cutting the new thatch, throwing it in the air, where the main thatcher will catch it and lay down the neat bundles. With one man on the roof and the other under the roof the thatch was “stitched” with this long “needle” being pushed from one man to the other.

Catching and replacing thatch

Roof repaired

It was fascinating to watch this craft that has been practised since the Bronze Age in many parts of the world. The main thatcher explained to me that their work is getting less and less and a skill that was transferred from father to son in the Elim district might no longer be viable to teach to the next generation. This I found rather sad because a rich tradition and a heritage of vernacular craft is being lost.

Trimmed reeds for the other gable

I found the tools fascinating and the Leggett that they used to dress the thatch looked ancient and must have been used to dress many Cape vernacular buildings.

Leggett handle

Leggett face

Thatching is a fascinating craft that demands not only skill but knowledge of restios and grasses to make sure that one uses the correct material when thatching.

New-front dormer gable repaired

The two dormer-gables had been attended to and completed by afternoon and after cleaning-up the thatchers left. Shawn helped to restore the irrigation system and by late afternoon the only sign that there had been such a hive of activity on the property was the broken bits of thatch in the raked pips around the steps under the dormer-gable.

A well used Leggett