New Arrivals
Freshly listed artisan products across the Sokofa marketplace.
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Fashion Accessories
Set of 6 Beaded Bracelets
Six handmade beaded bracelets from Ghana, each in its own pattern. Each bracelet is a firm, round tube of small beads stitched closely together. There is no clasp, so each one slips over the hand. The patterns run from simple orange and yellow stripes to blocks of red, white, green and yellow, bright chevrons, and turquoise grounds dotted with tiny bead flowers. Wear one on its own, stack all six on one wrist, or split the set between friends as gifts. They are made by Ancient Culture, a Ghanaian artisan partner of Unite Root Africa in Nsawam. The set is assorted. The maker works with the beads on hand, so the six you receive will be in the same style as the photographs but not necessarily the same six patterns.
£50.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Fashion Accessories
Set of 4 Ankara Folding Fans
A set of four handmade Ankara folding fans in assorted African prints. Each fan opens to about 28cm across and folds to about 23cm long and 5cm wide, closing into its own stitched handle case so it travels neatly in a bag. The four fans come in different wax print patterns, making the set ideal for weddings, church, warm days out, travel and gifting, with one to keep and three to share. They are made in Nsawam, Ghana by Ancient Culture, each one cut, pleated and stitched by hand. Because the set is assorted, the exact four patterns you receive may vary with available fabric, which makes every set unique.
£80.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Fashion Accessories
Set of 3 Ankara Tote Bags
A set of three handmade Ankara tote bags in assorted African prints. Each bag measures about 39cm high, 35cm wide and 4cm deep, with black webbing straps fitted on metal clips, and each comes in a different wax print pattern, so the set covers shopping days, work bags and gifts in one go. They are sewn in Nsawam, Ghana by Ancient Culture, and the prints are chosen to celebrate the bold colour and creativity of African textile traditions. Lightweight and practical for everyday shopping, work, travel, cultural events and gifting. Because the set is assorted, the exact three patterns you receive may vary with available fabric, which makes every set unique.
£75.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Crafts
Wooden Bowls with Lids, Set of 6
A set of six small carved wooden bowls with fitted lids, handmade in Ghana. Each bowl stands about 7cm high and 13cm across, and each is finished in its own colourway with hand carved decoration, from an elephant to Kente inspired patterns, so the set brings a shelf to life as much as it organises one. Use them for shea butter, spices and dawadawa, nuts and dried foods, fruits and small snacks, or jewellery and other small personal items. They are carved by Ancient Culture in Nsawam, Ghana, and the natural wood grain shows through the painted finishes, giving every bowl its own character. Because each piece is individually handmade, slight variations in wood grain, colour, shape and finish may occur, and the set you receive may differ a little from the one photographed.
£160.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Arts
The Last Minute, Market Scene Painting
An original acrylic market scene on canvas by Ghanaian artist Alex Mensah. In the final minutes before the market closes, buyers and sellers rush to finish their trading and head home for the day. Vibrant shades of acrylic and an impressionistic hand capture the hustle and bustle of the marketplace: women balancing basins of goods on their heads, traders settled by their wares and woven baskets waiting to be carried home, all set against a cool blue evening light. The painting measures 13 x 20 inches, about 33 x 51cm, and is signed Lexis at the lower right. It ships rolled in a tube, unstretched, ready for you to stretch or frame. If you would like a quieter companion piece, the same artist's Shadows of the Village Market is also in the shop.
£240.00£250.00Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Crafts
Small Djembe Drum, Kente and Lion
A small handmade Ghanaian djembe drum, 24cm tall with a 15cm drumhead. The carved wooden body carries a hand carved lion motif around the base, the bowl is wrapped in Kente patterned cloth, and the natural animal skin head is tensioned with traditional cord lacing, with a braided cord loop for hanging. It is made for light drumming, cultural displays, gifts and African inspired decor rather than performance volume. Handmade in Nsawam, Ghana by Ancient Culture, so every drum is cut, carved and skinned by hand and no two are identical. A lovely first drum for a child, a desk piece for an office, or a gift that carries a story.
£75.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Arts
Nsɛnkyerɛnne Adinkra Painting
An original Adinkra painting on canvas, 60 x 80cm, framed. Nsɛnkyerɛnne, meaning signs or symbols, is a contemporary exploration of culture, identity and heritage, rooted in the artist's personal connection to Ghanaian cultural traditions. At its centre sits Gye Nyame, the best known Adinkra symbol, an expression of the supremacy of God. The concentric circles are Adinkrahene, chief of the Adinkra symbols, standing for greatness and leadership, and a backward looking bird recalls Sankofa, the call to return for what has been left behind. Through layered colour, expressive marks, charcoal and symbolic forms, the artist reimagines these traditional signs within a contemporary visual landscape, inviting you to look beyond their beauty, engage with their meanings and form a personal connection with the ideas they carry. Painted in 2026 in gouache, acrylic and charcoal, and sold framed as photographed. A conversation with the artist's roots, and a striking anchor piece for a living room, office or gallery wall.
£760.19Sold by NK Arts & Design • Ghana
Arts
Consumed, Limited Edition Art Print
Consumed is a limited edition fine art print of a digital portrait by Sara Amro. A black, mask like face with glowing red eyes fills the picture against a mustard yellow ground brushed with pale clouds. Gold teeth clench a lit cigarette, smoke drifts across the face and shoulders, and a string of dark beads hangs from one ear. The artist made it about addiction and identity: how something we turn to for escape can slowly become part of who we are. It suits a living room, an office or a gallery wall that can carry a strong colour. The print is 24 x 36 inches (61 x 91 cm) on archival fine art paper. The edition is ten prints. Each one is signed and numbered by the artist and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It is sold unframed. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp, and handle the paper with clean, dry hands.
£1,000.00Sold by Amrostudio • Lagos
Fashion Accessories
Baraka Diamond Beaded Earrings
Blue and white beaded diamond earrings, handmade in Kenya. Rows of seed beads are stitched flat into a long diamond: a white border, then bands of royal blue and a lighter blue, around a small white diamond at the centre. Baraka means blessing in Swahili. This is the statement pair: large, flat and graphic, they read from across a room and go well with white, denim or navy. They are lightweight and hang from silver tone fish hook ear wires. The maker gives the size as 8cm by 4.5cm.Handmade by Nekesa of Mulembe Beads, a Bukusu beadworker in Kenya.
£9.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Neema Spiral Beaded Earrings
Black and gold beaded spiral earrings, handmade in Kenya. Black seed beads are worked into a twisted column with two lines of gold beads winding around it from top to bottom, finished with a faceted black bead and a small gold bead at the tip. Neema means grace in Swahili, and this is a quiet pair: black and gold sits with almost anything, from office wear to an evening outfit. They are lightweight and hang from gold tone fish hook ear wires. The maker gives the size as 4.5cm long by 1.5cm wide.Handmade by Nekesa of Mulembe Beads, a Bukusu beadworker in Kenya. If you like black and gold but want a rounder, bolder shape, the Dhahabu flower earrings from the same maker are the better buy.
£3.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Uhuru Beaded Drop Earrings
Beaded drop earrings in the colours of the Kenyan flag, handmade in Kenya. Black, red, green and white seed beads run in diagonal stripes down a long diamond, with gold toned beads between the rows and a faceted gold bead at the tip. Uhuru is the Swahili word for freedom, and the colours carry the meaning of the flag: black for the people, red for the blood shed for independence, green for the land and white for peace. They are lightweight and suit Madaraka and Jamhuri Day, a family celebration, or any outfit that wants a flash of colour. They hang from gold tone fish hook ear wires. The maker gives the size as 4.5cm long by 1.5cm wide.Handmade by Nekesa of Mulembe Beads, a Bukusu beadworker in Kenya. If you want the flag colours in a rounder shape, the Amani and Nuru Bloom flower earrings from the same maker are the softer choice.
£3.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Home Decor
Set of 3 Carved Wooden Wall Masks
A set of three hand carved wooden wall masks, made in Ghana. Each mask is a long oval face with a multicoloured stained finish, and its patterns are carved back to the pale wood beneath. The left mask carries a lion across the brow and a lattice over the cheeks. The middle one is red, with spirals on the brow and a carved sunburst on each cheek. The right mask has a bird across the brow and fanned lines beneath the eyes. Hung together they make a ready made group for a hallway, living room or office wall, and each one also works on its own. Each mask is about 30cm high and 10cm wide, as the tape measure in the photographs shows, and weighs about 0.25kg. You receive all three masks pictured. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
£105.00Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana
Arts
Figures of Unity Acrylic Painting
An original acrylic painting on canvas of five figures, signed Lexis. Five tall, faceless figures stand shoulder to shoulder, each balancing a bowl on the head, painted in turquoise, gold, crimson and deep indigo. They are built from loose vertical strokes that run down into the background, so the group reads as one moving line rather than five separate people, and the close detail photograph shows the paint laid on thickly in places with the brush marks left in. At 10 by 14 inches it is a small painting, sized for a narrow wall, a shelf or a group of smaller works. If you like the palette, the artist's other small figure paintings in the shop are painted in the same colours and hang well together. Painted by hand in Accra, Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
£150.00£160.00Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
Fresh African Songs | Original Acrylic Painting, 18x26in
An original acrylic painting on canvas, 18 by 26 inches, of a musician playing the goje, the one string fiddle of northern Ghana, in magenta, green and gold. The player sits behind his instrument with his eyes closed and his mouth open in song, the gourd bowl of the fiddle swinging round in the foreground and the bow laid across it. The artist writes the instrument's name as goji. Everything is broken into loose vertical strokes of colour, so the man, the fiddle and the room seem to dissolve into the sound, and a row of pink flower forms along the bottom edge carries the freshness of the title. At 18 by 26 inches it is a good size for a living room or a study wall where one painting has to carry the room. If you want music in quieter colour, the artist's flute player painting, The Masterpiece, is the calmer piece; this one is for a wall that can take full saturation. Painted by hand in acrylic on canvas and signed Lexis in the lower right. The artist says it is shipped rolled in a tube. Keep it out of direct sunlight and dust with a soft dry brush.
£490.00£500.00Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Fashion
Two Tone Suede Slip On Shoes, Brown and Tan, Handmade
Handmade slip on shoes in two tone suede, tan through the middle with a darker brown toe cap and heel, on a brown rubber sole, made in Nigeria by Earlybird. The pair sits somewhere between a loafer and a trainer. There are no laces: elastic gussets either side of the opening let the shoe give as you step in and close back around the foot, and the collar is bound in dark brown for a neat edge. The toe cap and heel are cut from a deeper, brushed brown suede, while the smoother tan suede across the top carries the maker's own bird mark pressed into the leather. Wear them with chinos, jeans or linen trousers for weekends, travel and relaxed office days, or any time you want a shoe you can step into without bending down. Photographed in the brown colourway. The maker also offers black and red in the same pattern; those are not pictured, so ask the seller for a photograph before choosing one. Sizes 39 to 50. Sizes 47 to 50 carry a small extra charge, shown when you pick the size. Construction: suede and leather upper, padded interior and a rubber sole for grip, as listed by the maker. Care: brush the suede with a soft suede brush once dry and keep the shoes out of heavy rain. Let them dry naturally away from direct heat if they get wet.
£60.00Sold by Earlybird • Nigeria
Fashion
Two Tone Suede Leather Slides, Brown and Tan, Handmade
Handmade leather slides with a two tone suede strap in dark brown and tan, a suede covered padded footbed and a black moulded sole, made in Nigeria by Earlybird. The strap is the reason to look twice. It is cut from two suedes, a shaggy dark brown and a smoother tan, pieced together in interlocking panels and edged in tan binding, with the maker's own EARLYBIRD tab embossed on the side. The footbed is lined in the same dark brown suede and padded for comfort, so it feels softer underfoot than a rubber slide. Easy to slip on for the house, the garden, errands or a warm evening out, and relaxed enough to wear with shorts, linen trousers or a kaftan. Photographed in the brown colourway. The maker also offers black and red in the same pattern; those are not pictured, so ask the seller for a photograph before choosing one. Sizes 38 to 50, numbered as the maker sizes them. The largest sizes carry a small extra charge, shown when you pick the size. Care: brush the suede with a soft suede brush once dry and keep the slides out of heavy rain. Let them dry naturally away from direct heat if they get wet.
£40.00Sold by Earlybird • Nigeria
African products
Krobo Glass Bead Bracelet, Yellow, Green or Red, Ghana
A handmade Ghanaian bracelet of chunky glass disc beads in one solid colour, strung on a white cord and made to suit men and women alike. The photograph shows the yellow bracelet. It also comes in green and in red, which you choose from the colour options; those two are not pictured, so ask the seller if you would like to see them first. The beads are made in the Krobo style of Ghana's Eastern Region, thick flat discs with a soft matte finish, stacked side by side all the way round so the bracelet reads as one solid ring of colour. It is a simple piece to wear every day on its own, or to stack with other beads for a cultural occasion, and it makes an easy gift for anyone who loves West African beadwork. Size: about 20.3cm (8 inches) around, with beads about 2.5cm across. Construction: glass beads threaded onto a white textile cord and tied with a knot. Care: keep it dry, wipe it with a soft cloth, and store it flat so the cord keeps its shape.
£9.00Sold by GOLDEN HERITAGE AFRICA GALLERY • Cape Coast
Arts
Village Girl, Morning Duties | Original Painting, 7x10in
An original painting on canvas of a young woman carrying a bowl on her head, worked in warm browns and amber with loose drips and splashes, signed Lexis in the lower right. The figure is drawn in a few dark strokes over washes of amber that run down the canvas, and the paint is flicked and splashed around her so she seems to be walking through it. The artist lists the medium as a local watercolour pigment he calls aciduro, which is what gives the piece its single warm colour, closer to an ink drawing than to the bright acrylics elsewhere in his shop. At 7 by 10 inches it is a small piece, a good size for a desk, a bookshelf or a gallery wall of small pieces. If you want colour rather than a single tone, Silent Elegance is the better choice. Painted by hand in Accra, Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
£100.00£115.00Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
Silent Elegance | Original Acrylic Painting, 10x14in
An original acrylic painting on canvas of a woman seen from behind, in turquoise, gold, violet and deep earth tones, signed Lexis in the lower right. She stands turned away from the viewer, so there is no face to read, only the line of her back, a gold hoop earring, gold bands on her arm and a string of white beads at her waist. The background is laid in loose vertical strokes of colour that she seems to step out of, and the close detail photograph shows how thickly the paint sits in places, with the canvas weave showing through where it is thin. At 10 by 14 inches it is a small painting, sized for a narrow wall, a shelf or a group of smaller works rather than a single large space. If you want the same palette with more going on, the artist's larger figure paintings sit alongside it in the shop. Painted by hand in Accra, Ghana. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
£150.00£160.00Sold by Lexis paintings • Ghana
Arts
Guardians of Kilimanjaro Painting
Guardians of Kilimanjaro is a large original acrylic painting on canvas, 137 x 150cm, of two Maasai elders in red shukas looking out over tall grass towards Mount Kilimanjaro. The elders are seen from behind, one wrapped in a checked shuka and the other in a sleeveless red cloth with a pale belt, each resting on a staff. The mountain sits pale and snow capped above them, and the grass in the foreground is painted blade by blade, close enough that it frames the two men rather than sitting behind them. It belongs to the artist's Heritage Series, about the people who keep a culture's identity, land and knowledge. This is a one of a kind original, not a print. It is painted by Kamanzi in a studio in Arusha, Tanzania, signed Kamanzi Artlife in the lower right corner, and comes with the artist's certificate of authenticity. At 137cm wide and 150cm high (about 54 x 59 inches) it is a statement piece for a large wall: a living room, an office reception, or a hallway with room to step back from it. The canvas is shipped rolled in a tube and unstretched, so plan to have it stretched or framed when it arrives. The artist is also open to commissions.
£3,800.00Sold by Kamanzi Artlife • Tanzania
Fashion
Tan Suede and Leather Oxford Shoes for Men, Handmade
Handmade men's Oxford shoes in tan suede and smooth leather, with a suede toe and quarters, a leather band across the vamp and closed lacing. The two textures are the point of this pair. Suede at the toe and around the heel, polished leather through the middle, and pale contrast stitching tracing every seam, so the shoe reads as smart without looking stiff. It sits comfortably with chinos, tailored trousers or a suit in navy or grey, from the office to a weekend lunch. Photographed in the tan brown colourway. The maker also offers black, red and navy blue in the same pattern; those are not pictured, so ask the seller for a photograph before choosing one. Sizes 40 to 50. Sizes 48, 49 and 50 carry a small extra charge, shown when you pick the size. Care: brush the suede with a soft suede brush when dry and keep it away from heavy rain. Wipe the leather with a damp cloth and use a neutral cream now and then. Store with shoe trees or paper inside to hold the shape.
£60.00Sold by Earlybird • Nigeria
Fashion Accessories
Black Beaded Anklet with Metal Discs, Handmade in Kenya
A handmade beaded anklet in black glass seed beads, broken by three bands of multicolour beads, each carrying a small polished metal disc, and fastened with a clear button. The black runs in three strands that gather into the coloured bands, so the anklet lies flat against the ankle rather than rolling. The discs hang loose from small rings and catch the light as you walk. It closes by passing a clear button through a beaded loop, which is simple to do up and does not snag. The maker gives the length as 25cm. Measure round your ankle before ordering, because the button loop sets one length rather than adjusting. Made by hand in Kenya. Keep it out of the sea and the pool where you can, and wipe the discs dry to keep them bright.
£23.00Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Cream Waist Beads with Butterfly Charms, Handmade in Kenya
Handmade waist beads in cream glass seed beads, on one long strand with orange, teal and pink butterfly charms and a gold tone screw clasp. The seed beads have a soft pearly sheen, so the strand sits quietly against the skin, and the three small butterflies add just enough colour to catch the eye. It is a simple everyday strand rather than a statement piece, easy to wear on its own or alongside other waist beads. The maker gives the length as 100cm. It fastens with a small screw clasp at one length rather than a tie, so measure round the point where you will wear it before ordering. Made by hand in Kenya. Take it off before swimming or bathing, and undo the clasp gently rather than pulling on the strand.
£15.00Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Nuru Beaded Collar Necklace, White and Gold, Handmade
A wide, flat collar necklace netted by hand from white seed beads, crossed with diagonal stripes of gold coloured beads and fastened with a gold tone clasp. The beads are worked into an open lattice, so the collar lies flat around the base of the neck and lets a little skin show through the net. The gold stripes run the whole way round at an angle, which gives the piece movement without adding colour. White and gold go with almost anything, so this is the collar for a wedding, a celebration or a plain dark dress that needs one strong piece. The maker gives it as about 40cm long and 1.5cm wide. It closes with a lobster clasp between two gold tone ball ends. If you prefer a rounded rope to a flat collar, the Pearl Twist necklaces from the same maker are the other shape to look at. Care: keep it dry, store it flat so the net keeps its shape, and wipe it gently with a soft cloth.
£9.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Fahari Necklace and Earring Set, Kenyan Flag Colours
A handmade matching set in the colours of the Kenyan flag: a red, green, black and white pearl twist necklace and a pair of round beaded flower earrings. Made for Jamhuri Day, Madaraka Day, a Kenyan wedding or a gift for someone far from home. Fahari is the Swahili word for pride. The necklace winds bands of red, green and black pearl beads around a rope, each edged with small white beads the way the flag edges its colours in white, and fastens with a silver tone lobster clasp. The earrings are white beaded flowers ringed in black, with red and green loops around a faceted silver bead at the centre, on silver tone fish hooks. The first photograph shows both pieces together on a plain background. The necklace is also sold on its own as the Fahari Twist Necklace. Care: keep both pieces dry and away from perfume, and store the necklace laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£20.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Waridi Necklace and Earring Set, Pink and White, Kenya
A handmade matching set: a pink and white pearl twist necklace and a pair of pink and white beaded flower earrings, both beaded by hand in Kenya. Made for a bridesmaid, a birthday or anyone who wants a finished pink look in one buy. The necklace is a rope of white pearl beads wrapped in bright pink seed beads that spiral all the way round it, fastened with a silver tone lobster clasp and a short extender chain. The earrings are Waridi flowers, Swahili for rose, with white petals looped in pink around a pink pearl bead, on silver tone fish hooks. The first photograph shows both pieces together on a plain background. Both pieces are also sold on their own, as the Pearl Twist Necklace in pink and white and the Waridi Beaded Flower Earrings, if you only want one. Care: keep both pieces dry and away from perfume, and store the necklace laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£20.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Waridi Beaded Flower Earrings, Pink and White, Handmade
Handmade flower earrings in bright pink and white seed beads, built up in raised petals around a round pink pearl bead at the centre, on silver tone fish hook ear wires. A cheerful, feminine pair for summer, a pink outfit or a bridesmaid in pink. Waridi is the Swahili word for rose. White beads form the body of the flower and short rows of pink are looped across each petal, so it reads as a rose in bloom from across a room. The first photograph shows the pair on a plain background, and the two earrings differ slightly, as a handmade pair does. They match the maker's Pearl Twist Necklace in pink and white, and the two are also sold together as the Waridi Necklace and Earring Set. Care: keep them dry and away from perfume, and store them so the beadwork is not crushed.
£10.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Moto Beaded Flower Earrings, Red and Gold, Handmade
Handmade flower earrings in red and gold seed beads, built up in raised loops around a faceted pink bead at the centre, on gold tone fish hook ear wires. A bright, warm pair for a celebration, a wedding guest outfit or anything in red. Moto is the Swahili word for fire. Short rows of red beads are looped over a dense body of gold ones, so the flower flickers between the two colours as it moves, and the pink centre catches the light. The first photograph shows the pair on a plain background, and the two earrings differ slightly, as a handmade pair does. If you want the same flower darker, the Dhahabu earrings are black and gold. Care: keep them dry and away from perfume, and store them so the loops are not crushed.
£10.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Dhahabu Beaded Flower Earrings, Black and Gold, Handmade
Handmade flower earrings in black and gold seed beads, built up in raised loops around a round gold bead at the centre, on gold tone fish hook ear wires. A bold, warm pair for evening wear or a black outfit that wants one bright detail. Dhahabu is the Swahili word for gold. The black beads give the flower its body and the translucent gold beads are looped over them in short rows, so the thread shows through the gold and the flower catches the light from every side. The first photograph is a single earring, close enough to see the beadwork as it really is. If you want something softer, the maker's Neema flower earrings come in white and silver. Care: keep them dry and away from perfume, and store them so the loops are not crushed.
£10.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Fahari Twist Necklace, Kenyan Flag Colours, Handmade
A handmade rope necklace of red, green, black and white pearl beads twisted in a spiral, in the colours of the Kenyan flag, finished with a silver tone lobster clasp. Made for Jamhuri Day, Madaraka Day, a Kenyan wedding or anyone who wants to wear home. Fahari is the Swahili word for pride. Bands of red, green and black pearl beads wind around the rope, each edged with small white beads the way the flag edges its colours in white, so it reads as Kenya at a glance without spelling it out. It sits close and full at the base of the neck. The first photograph shows the necklace itself, with the clasp at the top. If you prefer one colour with white, the same twist is made in pink, green, and black. Care: keep it dry and away from perfume, and store it laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£15.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Arts
Zebra Stripe Beaded Wall Mask, Black and White, Ghana
A round hand carved sese wood wall mask, about 15cm across, beaded in black and white stripes with open slit eyes, a carved mouth and a rim of natural cowrie shells. It is the only one of the maker's masks worked in black and white alone, so it suits a monochrome room or a gallery wall where colour would compete. The stripes curve around the eyes and the brow like a zebra's markings, and the cowries around the rim soften the edge. The maker carves the face in Accra and stitches the glass seed beads on one at a time, which takes a day or two per mask. The back is carved hollow and fitted with a hanging plate and cord, shown in the second photograph. Cowrie shells were used as money across much of West Africa, and they still carry that sense of wealth and good fortune. If you want colour, the maker's Gye Nyame mask pairs red and green beadwork with the same cowrie rim.
£75.00Sold by Malikhandicraft • Ghana
Arts
Akofena Adinkra Beaded Wall Art, Hand Carved Wood, Ghana
A hand carved sese wood wall piece, about 25 by 25cm, in the shape of the Akofena adinkra symbol, two crossed swords, beaded in red, sky blue, yellow, orange and green glass seed beads. Akofena means sword of war, and among the adinkra symbols it stands for courage, valour and heroism. Where Gye Nyame is the symbol that says Ghana plainly, Akofena is the one to give someone who is about to do something brave: a new job, a first home, a hard year behind them. The maker carves the shape in Accra, then covers the whole face in seed beads stitched on one at a time, outlining each colour field in white so the swords read clearly from across a room. Each one takes a day or two to finish. The back is carved plain and fitted with a braided cord hanger, shown in the second photograph, so it goes straight on the wall. If you want the same craft in a mask, the maker also makes Gye Nyame and Sankofa beaded masks.
£120.00Sold by Malikhandicraft • Ghana
Arts
Safe in the Hands of the Father | Original Oil, 4 x 3ft
An original oil painting on canvas by the Nigerian artist Muktar Yusuf, 4ft by 3ft, of a figure resting with eyes closed in an embrace, crowned with rising gold flame and a blue rose. The painting is about rest. The figure leans into a presence the canvas never shows, wrapped in pale, glowing cloth against a field of deep red and orange, and the calm of the closed eyes is the whole subject. The artist writes that it is about finding refuge in the hands of God the Father when daily life is tiring. The blue rose at the temple recurs across Yusuf's work, where it stands for grace and hope; a second rose, in red, sits lower in the composition. The canvas is signed and dated lower left, Muktar Yusuf '26. At this size it is a centrepiece for a living room, a hallway or a quiet room, and it sits beside the artist's Anxiety Cometh Not, a painting of the same size on the other side of the same question.
£1,000.00£1,584.00Sold by Muktar Yusuf Art • Lagos
African products
Intuition Carved Wall Mask, Ghana Sese Wood, 45cm
A hand carved wooden wall mask in dark stained sese wood, 45cm tall, with closed eyes, a small carved head at the crown and patterned metal panels set into the brow and cheeks. The maker named it Intuition, for the kind of knowing that does not come through the eyes, and the carving is built around that idea. The eyelids are carved heavy and shut, the mouth is closed, and the whole face is long, narrow and still. In the maker's own words, when the eyes are silent, the spirit can see. What sets it apart from the gallery's other masks is the metal. Two triangles sit above the brows and two curved panels sit under the eyes, each worked with a fine pattern in gold and copper tones, and against the dark wood they catch the light while the carved face stays in shadow. If you want the same long face and carved crown without the metal, the Prosperity mask is the plainer sibling. If your wall is dark, the pale Enlightened One mask will stand out better. It is made to hang and suits a living room, an office, a hallway or a gallery wall, anywhere with enough plain space around it to be looked at properly. The maker gives the size as 45 by 15cm, about 18 by 6 inches. Every mask is carved by hand from a natural material, so the grain, the colour, the depth of the cut and the pattern on the metal differ from one piece to the next and yours will not match the photograph exactly. Dust it with a dry soft cloth, and keep it out of direct sun and away from damp, which move and split wood over time.
£350.00Sold by GOLDEN HERITAGE AFRICA GALLERY • Cape Coast
Fashion Accessories
Pearl Twist Necklace, Green and White, Handmade Kenya
A handmade rope necklace of white pearl beads wrapped in green glass seed beads that spiral all the way round it, finished with a silver tone clasp. A fresh, bright piece for a white shirt, a summer dress or a green outfit that wants a finishing touch. The green beads are translucent, so light passes through them and they glow rather than sit flat, which is the one thing this colourway does that the others do not. Two green lines wind around the pearls with finer pale beads between them, and the necklace sits close and full at the base of the neck. It fastens with a silver tone lobster clasp, with a small bead cap at each end of the rope and a short extender chain finished with a ball, all visible in the first photograph, so it can sit a little higher or lower. The same twist is also made in pink and white, and in black and white. Care: keep it dry and away from perfume, and store it laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£15.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Pearl Twist Necklace, Pink and White, Handmade Kenya
A handmade rope necklace of white pearl beads wrapped in bright pink seed beads that spiral all the way round it, finished with a silver tone clasp. The most playful of the maker's pearl twists, made for summer, a pink outfit or a bridesmaid in pink. Two lines of hot pink beads, with finer pale beads between them, wind around the pearls like the stripes on a sweet, so the white shows through in soft bands and the colour reads from across a room. It sits close at the base of the neck, round and full, and needs nothing else with it. It fastens with a silver tone lobster clasp, with a small bead cap at each end of the rope and a short extender chain finished with a ball, all visible in the first photograph, so it can sit a little higher or lower. If you want something quieter, the same twist is also made in black and white, and in green and white. Care: keep it dry and away from perfume, and store it laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£15.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Pearl Twist Necklace, Black and White, Handmade Kenya
A handmade rope necklace of white pearl beads wrapped in black seed beads that spiral all the way round it, finished with a silver tone clasp. The most formal of the maker's pearl twists, made for a black dress, evening wear or a monochrome wardrobe. Two lines of black beads wind around the pearls in crisp stripes, so the necklace reads graphic and sharp rather than sweet, and it goes with anything black or white you already own. It sits close and full at the base of the neck. It fastens with a silver tone lobster clasp and a short extender chain, both visible in the first photograph, so it can sit a little higher or lower. If you want colour instead, the same twist is also made in pink and white, and in green and white. Care: keep it dry and away from perfume, and store it laid flat or loosely coiled so the spiral keeps its shape.
£15.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Neema Beaded Flower Earrings, White and Silver, Handmade
Handmade flower earrings in white and silver lined seed beads, built up in raised layered petals around a faceted silver bead at the centre, on silver tone fish hook ear wires. A soft, bright pair for a wedding, bridal wear or a plain outfit that wants one detail. The white beads give the petals their body and the silver lined beads trace each edge, so the flower sparkles without any metal showing. The first photograph is a single earring on a wooden table, which shows the beadwork close up as it really is. If you want warmer tones, the same Neema flower is also made in white and gold. Care: keep them dry and away from perfume, and store them so the petals are not crushed.
£10.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Knot Beaded Drop Earrings, Red and Gold, Handmade Kenya
Handmade drop earrings in red and gold seed beads, each one a triangular knot of beaded strands looping over and under each other, hanging from gold tone fish hook ear wires. Bright enough for a wedding or a celebration and light enough to wear all day. The strands alternate silver lined red and gold beads, so the knot flashes gold wherever it catches the light. The first photograph is the pair on a plain plate and shows the beadwork as it really is, thread and all. If you prefer the Kenyan flag colours, the store also makes this knot in red, green, black and white. Care: keep them dry and away from perfume, and store them flat so the knot keeps its shape.
£6.00Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Crafts
Men's Filet Crochet Polo Shirt, Cream, Handmade Cotton
A men's polo shirt crocheted by hand in cream cotton blend yarn, worked in filet crochet so the geometric pattern is built from open squares and filled blocks rather than printed on. It has a folded crochet collar, a three button placket, short sleeves and a small tag stitched at the hem. The first photograph shows the actual shirt on a hanger; the photograph on a model is a styled image. Filet crochet is a counted technique. The maker works from a grid and decides square by square whether to leave a hole or fill it, which means the pattern across the chest is structural: it is the fabric, not a decoration added to it. Get a square wrong and the motif is wrong, so a shirt like this is slow work. The openwork is the reason to buy it. A crocheted shirt sounds warm and this one is the opposite, because roughly half the surface is air. It suits heat, coast and holiday dressing, and it wears well over a plain vest if you would rather the openwork were not quite so open. There are two ways to buy it. The finished shirt in the photographs is one size, and the maker's flat measurements are on the size chart in the images: shirt length 73cm, chest width flat 60cm, which is about 120cm around, sleeve length 27cm, cuff width flat 20cm and armhole 25cm. Compare them against a shirt you already own. If that size will not suit you, choose made to measure, give your own body measurements, and the maker will crochet one to fit, which takes about ten days before dispatch. The yarn is 55% cotton and 45% acrylic. Wash by hand in cool water, do not wring it, and dry it flat and out of the sun so the shoulders keep their shape.
£60.00Sold by Phanice Designs • Tanzania
Fashion Accessories
Maasai Beaded Headpiece, Multicolour Glass Bead Crown
A Maasai beaded headpiece worked in glass seed beads, with a structured beaded band, straps that cross over the crown and two fine metal chains that fall at the side. It is made for occasion wear rather than every day: weddings, naming ceremonies, cultural events, dance and photography, and it sits over braided or gathered hair. The beadwork runs in narrow horizontal rows of red, white, black, orange, blue, green and yellow. The rows are worked over fine wire, which is why the band holds its round shape instead of collapsing when you pick it up, and it is the part of the making that takes the longest. The straps that cross the crown are beaded on both faces and meet at a small beaded button at the top, which is also how the piece fastens. Two lengths of silver tone chain hang from the band with a small disc at the end. The maker gives the size as 45cm. Materials are glass beads, beading thread, fine wire, buttons and metal chain. Store it flat or on a stand so the band keeps its shape. Keep it away from perfume and hairspray, and clean it with a dry soft brush only.
£30.19Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Maasai Beaded Cuff Bracelet, Orange and White, Handmade
A Maasai beaded cuff banded in orange, white, black, red, yellow and blue, backed in leather and fastening with a press stud. Narrow enough to wear every day. The rows are worked in fine glass seed beads and held straight by pale spacer strips, and the whole band is mounted on leather so it keeps its shape rather than curling. The press stud means it goes on one handed, which is the practical difference from a tie or a slide fastening. The maker gives the length as 20cm. This is the everyday width. If you want the beadwork to carry a whole outfit on its own, the wide cuff in this shop is the deeper piece.
£23.39Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Fashion
Maasai Beaded Wide Cuff Bracelet, Red and Green, Handmade
A wide Maasai beaded cuff, around ten rows of glass seed beads deep, banded in red, green, orange, white and black and fastening with press studs on a leather tab. The beads are strung in rows and held in line by slim spacer strips running down the cuff, which is what stops a band this deep from collapsing on the wrist. The leather tab carries the studs, so it opens flat and goes on without help. The maker gives the length as 20cm. If you want something for every day, the narrower wrist cuff in this shop is the easier piece. This one is for when you want the beadwork to be the thing people see.
£26.79Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Crafts
Teardrop Wooden Earrings, Hand Drawn African Pattern
A pair of teardrop wooden earrings, each face hand drawn with a band of African geometric pattern and hung from a small white faceted bead. Light enough for all day wear. The pattern is worked freehand across the lower half of each drop, rows of circles, arcs and dashes, so the two earrings in a pair sit close but never match exactly and no two pairs are the same. The wood keeps its grain under a warm reddish finish. Each drop hangs from a wire wrapped loop on a silver tone fish hook. Handmade in Kenya. Keep them dry and wipe with a soft cloth.
£22.00Sold by Tribal Shop • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Kenyan Brass Cowrie Cuff and Heart Ring Set, Handmade
A two piece brass set: an open cuff with twin hammered bands crossed by a bar holding two cowrie shells and a white stone, plus a heart shaped ring. It suits anyone who likes bold metal that still reads clean. The cuff is built like a ladder rather than a solid band, so the two bands sit apart and the arm shows through the gaps, and the cowries stand out past the bands instead of sitting flat on them. That open, linear shape is what separates it from the maker's other cowrie cuffs, which are built around a solid disc or a stack of close set bands. If you want something quieter for every day, her single disc cowrie cuff is the softer buy. This one is for a bare arm. The ring is a hand hammered heart shaped shield with a cowrie held across the centre by two brass prongs. The dimpled hammer texture is raised enough to catch the light from across a room. Both pieces are made from brass the maker reclaims from scrap, which she describes as old padlocks and plumbing fixtures, melted down, sand cast and hammered by hand. The cowries and the stone on the cuff are set in soldered brass rims. The cuff and the ring are both open at the back and adjust by gentle squeezing or flaring. Keep the brass dry, wipe it with a soft cloth and store it away from damp. Brass darkens over time and a little metal polish brings the shine back.
£50.00Sold by NICKÉ JEWELRY • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Nuru Bloom Earrings, Kenyan Flag Colours, Handmade
Handmade beaded flower earrings with petals in red, white, green and black, the Kenyan flag colours, beaded around a faceted gold centre, on gold tone hooks. Nuru means light in Swahili. This is the flag version of the Nuru Bloom, and it is the more interesting of the two to look at, because each petal is a different colour rather than the whole flower being one, so the shape reads as a flower first and the flag second. That is the useful part. It carries Kenya without being a flag pinned to your ear, which is the difference between wearing it once and wearing it often. If you would rather have it plain, the white and gold Nuru Bloom is the same flower in one colour. The maker gives the flower as 4cm across. Every bead is threaded by hand, so the two flowers differ a little from each other. Keep them away from perfume, and store them flat.
£2.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Nuru Bloom Beaded Earrings, White and Gold, Handmade
Handmade beaded flower earrings in white seed beads, with gold beaded stamens radiating from a faceted gold centre, on gold tone hooks. Nuru means light in Swahili, and these are the brightest thing in the range. The petals are beaded solid while the gold runs out between them in fine lines, so the flower reads clearly from across a room rather than turning into a blur. White and gold is wedding and occasion territory. If you want the same flower in the Kenyan flag colours, the other Nuru Bloom pair is beaded in red, green, black and white. The maker gives the flower as 4cm across. Every bead is threaded by hand, so the two flowers differ a little from each other. Keep them away from perfume, and store them flat.
£2.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Fashion Accessories
Zuri Knot Beaded Earrings, Black and Gold, Handmade
Handmade beaded earrings worked as an interwoven triangular knot in black and gold seed beads, on gold tone hooks. The knot is the point of them. Three loops pass over and under each other so the bands appear to weave through, which gives the piece real depth at a size that stays small and light. It is a harder thing to bead than a flat panel, and it shows. Zuri means beautiful in Swahili. At 2.5cm square these are the everyday pair in the range rather than a statement, the ones that go on without thought and still look considered. The maker gives the size as 2.5 by 2.5cm. Every bead is threaded by hand, so the two knots sit slightly differently and neither will match the photographs exactly. Keep them away from perfume, and store them flat.
£5.99Sold by Mulembe beads • Kenya
Buying guide
What lands in new arrivals
New arrivals is the fastest-moving page on Sokofa: every product here was recently listed by one of our sellers, from first collections by newly joined designers to fresh batches from established studios. Because makers list work as they finish it, the mix changes continuously: fashion one week, a run of ceramics or original art the next.
Handmade work tends to arrive in small batches, so if a new piece catches your eye, it is worth moving sooner rather than later, because many listings are one-of-one or made in editions of a handful. Anything that sells through may be relisted when the artisan makes more, but with natural variation between batches.
Checking this page regularly is the closest thing to walking the market: you see what African makers are producing right now, before it surfaces anywhere else on the site.
Common questions
About buying new arrivals on Sokofa
How often are new products added?
Continuously. Artisans list new work as they finish it, so the page refreshes throughout the week rather than on a fixed schedule. If you want first pick, checking back regularly is the best strategy.
Are new arrivals limited stock?
Often, yes. Handmade work arrives in small batches, and some pieces, particularly original art and one-off garments, are one-of-one. The stock level on each product page tells you what is available.
Are new products checked before they appear here?
Yes. Every product on Sokofa is reviewed before it goes live, including a new seller's first listing, so a product being new never means it went up unchecked.
Do new arrivals ship worldwide?
Yes, like everything on Sokofa, new arrivals ship internationally, with delivery times and costs confirmed at checkout. If anything arrives damaged or not as described, contact support within 48 hours of delivery.