Textiles & Fabric | African Crafts

Crafts

Zanzibar Kapu Woven Palm Basket Bag, Kitenge or Kikoi

A handwoven palm basket bag from Zanzibar, about 60cm wide, with a printed cotton band and centre panel, cloth wrapped handles, small leather tabs and a tie closure. Kapu is the Swahili word for basket, and this is the everyday island shape rather than a version of it redrawn for export. It is wide and shallow and flares open at the top, so a towel, a book and a bottle of water sit side by side instead of stacking on top of each other. That is what you want from a market or beach bag and it is exactly what a narrow tote cannot do. The body is plaited from dried palm leaf, worked in Zanzibar in strips known as ukili. The printed cloth is stitched down the centre front and around the top band, the two handles are wrapped in the same cloth and anchored with small tan leather tabs, and a length of cloth ties the top shut. Choose Kitenge, the bold wax print, or Kikoi, the lighter Swahili coastal cloth. Brush it out rather than washing it, and keep it out of the rain.

£40.00£45.00

Sold by Sunora • Tanzania

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.

£80.00

Sold by Unite Root Africa • 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.

£75.00

Sold by Unite Root Africa • Ghana