Musafa Kan is an artist of the needle-and-thread variety. The craftsmanship can be seen in the carefully stitched seams of the leather backpacks, slings and handbags that Kan makes.
Kan is no stranger to the National Arts Festival. It is his 12th year owning a stall, and he’s never been happier.
Musafa Kan is an artist of the needle-and-thread variety. The craftsmanship can be seen in the carefully stitched seams of the leather backpacks, slings and handbags that Kan makes.
Kan is no stranger to the National Arts Festival. It is his 12th year owning a stall, and he’s never been happier.
As he speaks, his hand makes a wide arc across the 3×3 metre structure as he proudly motions to rows of handcrafted leather bags, all made by Kan himself.
Kan is originally from Senegal, but lives in Cape Town, where he sells his bags and other merchandise.
He owes his experience in the craft of bag-making to his father, who taught him how to stitch together leather when he was 10. At 17, Kan became an independent leather bag maker, and since then he has not looked back.
His stall mostly displays bags, but Kan also had wallets, jewellery and hats in stock. “People must know my bags. When they buy my bags they are supporting me,” Kan said.
Kan may not be a performer, but his stall is his stage; his bags his art.
