The traditional usage and market of crafts was replaced by products of mechanized industries and the artisans were increasingly left in exclusion of capacity development opportunities, investment and market and hence falling to extreme poverty and vulnerability.
As resilient artisans in these times, we are working under the principle that do whatever it takes to innovate design, develop product, adopt modern business practices and digital marketing solutions as we sustain authenticity of crafting and health environment in order to reclaim a market share in modern creative manufacturing. Our craft businesses organizing ourselves into bigger social enterprises like African Continental Crafts Ltd, which leads us to accessing Global Eco Artisan Award & the conference with the associated benefits, are opening opportunities to recover viability, competitiveness and market.
Our artisan sector which is closely leaning on the tourism, is one of the most hit by the effects of COVID – 19 pandemic and all current activities are sector recovery activities.
As a complete set is designed to be won by women around the neck, the arms and the ears especially as part of the dress code in social ceremonies. Their colors combined with those of the accompanied dress to bring out attractiveness to human eyes. The main purpose is beauty and elegancy.
The main material is the traditional beads locally called “Amaizi ga Yubu” which traditionally grow as a wild plants in the bush and eventually were adopted and deliberately planted as flowers in compounds. They are sourced from the local environment. The second are threads from sisal or metallic strings which are used to connect the beads in constructing the desired product. These are also sourced from within the country.
The artisan harvests the beads and dries them using sunshine. Then she makes a sketch according to the intended design and size. This captures measurements. The beads have a natural hole which makes it easy to connect them by a thread or string and this connecting is done by hand assisted by a needle or piece of string. Then, following the sketch, the artisan keeps connecting the beads and making the design and product which are intended.
The beads plant which traditionally existed as a wild plant is steadily getting deliberately grown in order to ensure supply. They grow it in the compound as a flower but also among domestic plantations. Artisans are also moving to preserve habitants and areas where it grows most.
Using ancestral wisdom, knowledge, artisan skills and cultural materials to transform the economy of the grassroots through product development, design innovations and digital marketing solutions to access the global market in Europe and us and achieve equity and inclusion.
These are hand woven wall décor, made using backcloth materials, decorated with local beads (Amaizi ga Yubu) and having some message inscriptions.