Wood Carving Traditions in Africa

There is quite a prolific tradition of wood working and carving in Africa

In Western Africa these wooden mortar and pestle implements serve as

food processors to mash kasava plant into a paste that is fermented to 

become a starch staple called foufou. 

They can also be used as grain thrashers to clean chaff from wheat and millet

to produce cooking grains and semolina of wheat called cous cous.

Usually these are utilitarian with little decorative carving. 

We saw this vintage painted carving of a seamstress 

back in a dusty corner of a workshop in downtown Accra

This falls under the category of colonial folk art.

There is a carver by the name of Wisdom who carves these nativity sets

 that are popular with many of the Senior Couples Missionaries

There is a group of carvers that live in Aburi and have a craft market near the 

Aburi Botanical Gardens about 20 miles from Accra.

A carved tree trunk in Aburi Gardens

                                       This is a carved model boat by a Malian carver