A TRADITION OF BASKET WEAVING IN GHANA
Starting from a small woven circle, Ghanaian basket weavers work their way out from a central point to reveal beautiful, distinctive Bolga baskets. Sometimes called “market baskets,” Bolga baskets are woven from veta vera, or elephant grass. While the grass is grown primarily in southern Ghana, weavers in the northern region of Bolgatanga excel at transforming the tough grass fiber into the iconic baskets. The people from the region rely on the sale of handcrafted items to supplement their income, and their craftsmanship is demonstrated by the high quality of these artfully woven baskets.
The weaving of Bolga baskets in Ghana has been a traditional skill for many generations, and is often a communal process. The Bolga baskets sold by Swahili Modern are fair trade and a reliable source of income for weavers and their families. Just as the baskets begin as a small circle and expand, so does the impact of purchasing fair trade items that directly benefit, support and empower the artisans who create them.
Related Products
$15.00
Utilizing remnants of colorful Zulugrass, Maasai artisans are designing one-of-a-kind strands to symbolize the bright futures of educated children. Buy Zulugrass=Educate Kids. The Leakey Collection will donate 100% of their profits from the sales of these bracelets to pay for teachers' salaries in rural Kenya. Each 26" strand is packaged on a special tag explaining how the proceeds will be allocated. Wear it wrapped 3-4 times around your wrist or ankle, or long as a necklace.
Zulugrass 26" single strands are made from sustainable, natural grass beads. The richly hued grass is dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes and interspersed with hand-blown Czech glass. Zulugrass is as creative as the individual who wears it!
This bracelet will feature a variety of colors; each one is unique.
$365.00
Designed to showcase flowers as if they were an ostrich's plumes, these handmade African sculptures are are welded outside of Nairobi using recycled oil drums and scrap metal. Each ostrich is crafted from the ground up and exhibits its own unique characteristics.
The sculptures can be displayed inside or outside of the home and are one-of-a-kind. Because they are made of metal, the ostrich planters will develop a patina when exposed to the elements.
Large measures 6 feet tall, with a planter basket that measures 21"D x 8.5"T. Smaller size measures 5 feet tall, with a planter basket that measures 15"D x 6"T. Sizes may vary slightly due to the handcrafted nature of this item.
Extra shipping fees are required for this oversized item. Please scroll down for more information.
About Shipping:
Shipping for oil drum sculptures requires a pallet and starts at $200. With freight costs increasing in 2021-22, we have seen costs as high as $400-$650.
After your purchase, we will work with a freight company to determine the exact shipping cost for the pallet to your location, from our warehouse in Oregon. We will contact you via email about the additional shipping fees.
We can also create this shipping quote at any time during the ordering process! Please email us at info@swahilimodern.com with your full shipping address to get started.
About the Artisans:
Moses and his small workshop of craftsmen build their own welding machines out of copper coil, tape, steel rod, and a sheet metal housing in order to create these spectacular metal works of art. Moses began his artistic career making furniture, but quickly switched to sculpture after an interested European buyer created a demand for his works abroad.
$18.00
Kalimbas, mbiras, karimbas, finger pianos...all are names for the same African percussion instrument from the Lamellophone instrument family.
These fair trade, Kenyan toy karimbas produce their resonant sound through the use of hollowed wood. Recycled metal tines with recycled-can buzzers are plucked to create vibrations. The box is decorated with wood burnings and is held with both hands when playing.
Available in three sizes.
Dimensions:
Small: 4.5"L x 3"W x 1.5"H
Medium: 7"L x 4"W x 2"H
Large: 8"L x 5.5"W x 2"H
Crafted from: Wood, scrap metal
Made in: Kenya
About the Artisans:
Founded by Andy Koney nearly 20 years ago in his bedroom, today the Ghanian artistic collective known as Yenok employs 40 men and women who are dedicated to creating beautiful furniture and woodworking art, often with a spiritual flair. Yenok's products are recognized for their high quality and custom craftsmanship.
$48.00
Six beautiful strands of 26" Zulugrass to wear all together or in any grouping of 1 or more to make a wide variety of color combinations. Strung on elastic, it can be worn as a bracelet, necklace, anklet, hair tie and more. To wear as a bracelet, just wrap each strand around your wrist 3-4 times.
Zulugrass 26" single strands are made from sustainable, natural grass beads. The richly hued grass is dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes and interspersed with hand-blown Czech glass. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Zulugrass is as creative as the individual who wears it!
$15.00
The Leakey Collection dedicates proceeds from each Beads for Clean Water Zulugrass strand to the “Clean Water for Every Home” project; the goal - put a water dispensing unit, locally called a “leak-tin” in every Maasai home in the area. Clean water for drinking and washing helps stop the spread of life threatening disease and illness. Each strand is packaged on a special tag--explaining how the proceeds will be allocated--and can be worn wrapped 3-4 times around your wrist or ankle or even long as a necklace.
Zulugrass 26" single strands are made from sustainable, natural grass beads. The richly hued grass is dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes and interspersed with hand-blown Czech glass. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Zulugrass is as creative as the individual who wears it!
$18.50
Lulu Life is an organic, Grade A virgin shea butter that is produced using nuts from the vitellaria nilotica tree, which grows only in remote East Africa.
Most shea butter comes from West African shea trees and is sold as a hard solid. East African shea butter is silky and harder to procure, and considered a precious luxury good. Lulu Shea Butter is made from nuts that are collected, cracked, sorted, dried, ground by hand and cold-pressed (avoiding even the slightest trace of chemical contamination).
Intensely moisturizing, this shea butter is easily absorbed and is known to transform your skin over time. The butter is rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants, and can be used on the face or as an all-over body butter.
Dimensions: 100ml (3.4oz) watertight plastic container.
2.25"L x 2.25"W x 2"H
Crafted from: Nilotica shea nut oil
Made in: South Sudan
About the Artisans:
Founded in 2000, Lulu Works is a non-profit trust established to provide a source of sustainable income for the women of South Sudan. Comprised of women-owned processing centers, Lulu Works ensures that the profit from the production and sale of Lulu Life products returns to these women. It also provides an incentive to protect the natural shea butter resource.
Vitellaria nilotica tree grows across South Sudan in thick forests and takes 20 years to bear its first fruit. These forests are untouched by chemicals or fertilizers.
This shea butter is pure and unscented. See all of the scents available in our Skin Care Collection.
$78.00
These simple yet durable baskets are hand woven by women in rural Tanzania. Available in three sizes, they are useful in every room of the home. Accents of dyed black milulu grass elevate these traditional baskets as modern decor.
Sold singly, three sizes available. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary.
Dimensions:
Small: 10"D x 10"H
Medium: 11-12"D x 12"H
Large: 13"D x 13"H
Crafted from: Milulu grass, natural dye
Made in: Tanzania
About the Artisans:
Home of the Hehe people, the city of Iringa is situated 300 miles from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and stretches along a hilltop overlooking the Ruaha River to the south. Iringa is famous for its woven baskets made from local reeds. The baskets are an important source of income for the 100,000 population town and are used across Tanzania and exported worldwide.
$48.00
Six beautiful strands of 26" Zulugrass to wear all together or in any grouping of 1 or more to make a wide variety of color combinations (see additional photos as examples). Strung on elastic, it can be worn as a bracelet, necklace, anklet, hair tie and more. To wear as a bracelet, just wrap each strand around your wrist 3-4 times. Necklace shown may not portray actual color combination.
Zulugrass 26" single strands are made from sustainable, natural grass beads. The richly hued grass is dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes and interspersed with hand-blown Czech glass. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Zulugrass is as creative as the individual who wears it!
$88.00
These authentic African mud cloths are handmade by artisans in Mali who grow and weave their own cotton. Each cloth is hand-dyed with fermented mud that has been stained with plant leaves.
The fabric features hemmed edges on two sides and can be used as a table cloth, wall hanging, or throw blanket.
Measures 44"W x 70"L. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, design will vary. For best care, hand wash in cool water and air dry.
About the Artisans:
Mali Chic is a collaboration of 195 artisans that sells its products through a boutique in Bamako and through international exports. Artisans work from home, in their own workshops or on-site at Mali Chic, and child labor is never used. Mali Chic provides artisans with 50% advances on all orders and pay a fair price for their products.
$68.00
Measuring 70" long, these handmade table runners are created by weaving dried twigs through through hand-dyed mudcloth fabric.
Two lengths of twigs are used to create visual contrast. The fabric is a thick canvas that has been dyed using a mudcloth technique in Mali.
Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
Dimensions: 16"W x 70"L
Crafted from: Dried twigs, cotton, dye
Made in: Mali
About the Artisans:
Mali Chic is a collaboration of 195 artisans that sells its products through a boutique in Bamako and through international exports. Artisans work from home, in their own workshops or on-site at Mali Chic.
$38.00
Marula Oil is a fast-absorbing facial oil that has been treasured for centuries by African women for its restorative benefits. It provides long-lasting hydration and soothes redness and irritation, leaving skin glowing with a matte finish.
With its extremely high concentration of Omega 6, 9 and other antioxidants, it fights free-radicals that cause premature skin aging. The oil-rich kernels from East African are wild-harvested, hand-selected, manually cold pressed, then combined with a 1% essential oil fragrance blend, to ensure the highest quality product.
The 30 ml bottle size, with a special oil dispenser, also meets travel requirements. Included in the box is an insert outlining uses and benefits.
About the Artisans:
In 2001, a terrible drought persisted for several years and brought devastation to the pasture lands. The livelihood of the Maasai disappeared as their cattle died. The men had to drive the few remaining cattle hundreds of miles away in search for better grazing while the women looked desperately for ways to feed, clothe, and educate their children and obtain medical supplies. Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
Soon the Leakeys discovered that for centuries, African women had revered the restorative benefits of Marula oil and decided to offer it to the world also. After the Marula fruit is collected under the wild stands of trees, the nuts are removed from the fruit by hand. The nuts are slowly sun-dried, naturally concentrating the oil prior to extraction. The hard outer shells are individually split by hand; each kernel is removed and inspected for freshness, discarding any of poor quality. The oil-rich ivory colored kernels are pressed through The Leakey Collection's unique, proprietary cold-pressing system, ensuring the highest quality product. Now, even the men have joined in the entrepreneurial opportunities.