Trading/Bartering for Goods in Botswana & SA
 

What are the most popular items wanted by local artisans, etc. in Botswana or S.Africa. I was there once before and they wanted the boots and T-shirt I was wearing. Is this typical or appropriate?

Bartering stuff is a time-honored tradition in Africa, although probably less so in South Africa and Botswana than elsewhere. Still, you can probably barter t-shirts, shoes, etc. for crafts without too much difficulty. Anything with an American-style logo or design seems particularly popular. In rural areas, a great barter item is Polaroid instant photos, since so many people have no photos of themselves and really treasure the chance to have a family photo.