Black Panther brought new and deserved respect to traditional Basotho blanket.
Locally manufactured blankets feature throughout the blockbuster, which has now earned more than $1 billion at the global box office.
Most of the blankets used in the movie were manufactured by Randfontein-based Aranda Textiles. It holds the sole licence to manufacture the Seanamarena tribal blanket, which is owned by the Basotho Royal Family.
See also: Black Panther just made box office history. Not bad for a movie shot in the Free State
Seanamarena means “to swear by the chiefs”, and the blankets typically feature traditional emblems including the mealie, which signifies wealth, health and fertility.
The blankets are almost entirely made of wool.
The real-deal Seanamarena are for sale on Amazon, where they retail for $129 (R1 550).
However, they are competing with a number of other products attempting to cash in on Black Panther – one uglier than the other.
The Marvel Black Panther Tapestry Throw Blanket, which retails from $36.90 (R450).
The "Black Panther Style Cape Blanket Poncho", which is also described as a "Tribal Aztec Shawl". It retails for some $67 (R800).
(The Aztec were South American. Quite what they have to do with an African movie is anyone’s guess.)
Not in the market for a blanket? Then perhaps the Black Panther Style Tribal Bag, $68 (R820).
Or the Black Panther Style Arm Warmers, for $19.79 (R240).
(Because arm warmers are a thing in Africa, right?)
Receive a single WhatsApp message every morning with all our latest news: Sign up here.
See also
- Uber is 'likely' not at fault in in the first known autonomous-vehicle death, an Arizona police chief says
- We compared the price of contracts that come with an iPhone X – and the winner is R1,200 a year cheaper than the rest
- The 8 most luxurious private jets in the world
- Everyone is talking about Cambridge Analytica, the Trump-linked data firm that harvested 50 million Facebook profiles — here’s what’s going on
- The JSE Top 40 changed dramatically on Monday. This is who is in and who is out – and why the Mid Cap Index may now be heading for ‘a shitstorm’
- After confirming government tests, Tiger Brands commits to maybe considering listeriosis damages claims – if they are valid (and with some other caveats too)Tiger Brands is closing a third factory, and winding down an abattoir, after ‘very low levels of Listeria’ were found in its products
- VBS says it was 'targeted' because it was a fast-growing threat – and shouldn't have been because it was advancing radical economic transformatio
- AI can tell jokes and will soon write better novels than humans, according to a computer scientist
- These are the 5 most expensive South African wines you can buy right now – if you are willing to spend up to R5,000 per bottle
- 'World's most comfortable shoe' now made from South African invasive trees
- South Africa’s top barista showed us how to brew the perfect cup of coffee
- Finding fake grass is becoming tricky in Cape Town
- Use this secret weapon to improve your meetings, suggest SA academics
- An exec who invests Mark Shuttleworth’s money keeps every rejection letter he has ever received – here’s why
- TUC biscuit tweet that makes fun of listeriosis ‘is in very bad taste’
- Richemont can now take over an online retailer that sells tekkies for R23,000 a pair - and Amazon should be worried
- The White House has 'the most toxic working environment on the planet'
- Measured in energy, this SA company sold as many batteries as Tesla made at its famous gigafactory
- Video games, chewing gum and driving lessons are some of the products Stats SA uses to calculate South Africa's cost of life
