Mama Afrika: Special Finds (1)

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"The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people ." – Ashanti of Ghana

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Mama Afrika personally recommends the following: We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch A History of art in Africa by Monica Blackmun Visona Africa: The Art of a Continent by Tom Phillips Tribal Arts of Africa by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart

Mama Afrika

Reach us by phone:

(805) 294-2385

9am-5pm (Pacific Standard Time)

Mama has chosen this as the place to show you those one of a kind pieces that she hopes will please the collector in you. Here is where you will find those special finds that allow you a chance to share items of cultural importance or simply own a great art piece that you can share with others by displaying it and sharing its story with others.

If you are looking for an original art piece which also has traditional value, this is the place to come. Mama will be updating this area of the site often and adding new and interesting pieces as she finds them.

Mama's Special Finds

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		Banana fiber cards with religious theme These cards are handmade in Rwanda from banana fiber. They are made by genocide survivors who have been left with no living family members. This job skill as well as others allows them to provide for themselves. They are blank on the inside with decorated envelopes. You'll receive one similar to the cards shown. These cards are a wonderful way to keep in touch with friends and family. They also make a great way to share your African art collection with others. Why not frame them and use them to decorate?
~~$20.00~~ (pack of a dozen) Now: $17.00		RW-01-01B12
$2.00		RW-01-01B1

Bark cloth items from Uganda All of these items are hand made in Uganda from bark cloth which has been made for hundreds of years in the region. Bark cloth was adorned with cowry shells and served to outfit the royal family of the Buganda kingdom. The art of making bark cloth begins by stripping bark from the fig tree. It is then allowed to soften through fermentation, beaten by hand to thin it out and then laid in the sun where it gets it's rich reddish color. The tree is not killed in the process. After stripping the bark, the ladies wrap the tree with banana leaves for a few days. A few days later, the leaves are removed and a paste made with cow dung is put on the tree which remains until the next rain washes it off. By that time, the tree has already grown new bark to protect it. All detailing is done with dyed raffia that is hand-sewn onto the cloth after it is sewn into its shape.

Bark cloth photo frame	UG-01-501
$16.00	Select your design from the drop down menu. Your exact frame may vary slightly from those pictured here as each piece is unique.


	To market on bicycles These great collector pieces come to us from Uganda. They are a beautiful example of what talented people can do with what would otherwise have become waste materials. They highlight Africa's most popular form of transportation... the bike. The hats are made of scraps of bark cloth, the bikes of recycled metals and the stylish clothing is sewn from fabric scraps. The people are carefully made from paper mache and so is the goat. They are then mounted on a block of wood so you can display them anywhere.
Going to market on bicycles (8 inches long, 7 inches. high)	$22.00 ONLY 1 LEFT IN STOCK!!
UG-01-139

	Christmas Stocking Now here's a stunning Christmas stocking from Uganda. It is handmade from Barkcloth using a traditional method which has been used for centuries. You can see more detail by scrolling over the photo with your mouse. But as you can already see, there is beautiful piping detail going around the stocking in black, red and green. The animals and other tribal images are a great traditional touch to a holiday favorite.
~~$18.00~~ Now: $14.00	UG-01-500
	1 Remaining IN STOCK


	Banana fiber Nativity Set This nativity set is handmade in Uganda from banana tree fibers. It is comprised of ten pieces which include the following: Mary, Joseph, 3 kings bearing gifts, 2 shepherds, a sheep, the manger and of course the baby Jesus. Although a beautiful decorative piece, this nativity set is NOT intended to be a child's toy as it has some small pieces. Best used indoors. The color you receive may vary slightly (darker or lighter) as each piece is unique and depends on the natural color of the fibers.
SOLD	Nativity set
	UG-01-502

Find out more about each country and how you can help Mama's friends around the continent.		Click here to enlarge map
Egypt	Rwanda
Eritrea	South Africa
Ethiopia	Tanzania
Ghana	Tunisia
Kenya	Uganda
Lesotho	Zimbabwe
Mali	.
Mama is always on the lookout for small local associations which assist women and children in these countries. If you know of any that you think she should meet, contact Mama and let her know.