African Ethnic Furniture
In Africa, furniture was and still is, made for not only functional purposes but also as a means for expressing symbolic messages and guiding standards. Furniture was in fact, the very fabric by which peace was fostered within a culture or a tribe.
Symbolism of African Ethnic Furniture
Friendship was celebrated by the Ashante tribe of Ghana with the “see/hear no evil” tables. These wonderful tables depict two monkeys, one covering its eyes and the other covering its mouth, symbolizing that friends neither see nor hear anything evil between each other. Crocodile themed furniture that is commonly seen further reinforces the importance of coexisting in peace.
Some African furniture was only found in the homes of tribal chieftains and in the House of Kings. For example, “Gye Nyame” stools were carved to represent and honor the power and greatness of God(s) and were not found in the homes of common tribe members.
Looking at African furniture that has found its way into the museums of the world, one sees symbolism and complexity as well as the skilled craftsmanship of the African artists in each and every piece. If you consider African furniture overall, you will find a wonderful depiction of the very nature of African people, their beliefs and lifestyle.
Taking African Ethnic Furniture Around the World
Today African ethnic furniture continues to be made in Africa and thanks mostly to the advent of the internet, it is readily available around the world. However, Africa is not the only place where African ethnic furniture is made; in the US and in the UK, African-Americans proudly proclaim and celebrate their heritage through the creation of African art, including African ethnic furniture.
When the African slaves arrived in America they were provided no luxuries whatsoever and in reality, few basics such as furniture. The slaves spent whatever little spare time they had, creating what we now term folk art furniture. The slaves were not provided with tools or raw materials; they had to use whatever they could find. Usually, sheep shears had to suffice as a carving tool.
African slaves were in a foreign place under the complete control of their owners. The furniture they created was but one way of holding onto their traditions and celebrating events much as they did in native Africa. You will find that folk art furniture often depicts sentimental, religious, superstitious and traditional themes of the period.
Today, African-American ethnic furniture is enjoying popularity among all sorts of people. You don’t have to be African to see and appreciate the beauty of African ethnic furniture. The internet has made it possible for everyone to shop websites based in Africa or at the least, websites from across the country.
African ethic furniture covers a very wide array of items. Often in African homes furniture serves a dual purpose; for example, a stool may also serve as a small table. The legs of these fine chair/tables are commonly carved into figures of people, African masks, elephants and other animals. Intricate carving is the hallmark of these fine pieces of furniture.
Stools were of extreme importance to their owners, sometimes to the point that the stool was believed to be a part of the soul. For this reason, anyone desiring an authentic African feel to their décor, a stool is a must. Adiskidan Ambaye, a Minneapolis based African furniture designer currently creates some of the most renowned, beautiful African stools on the market today.
African ethnic furniture can described as bedroom sets, magazine racks, end tables, dining tables and any other piece of furniture with an African theme. Traditional African furniture culture came to America with the slaves. Here today, the traditions continue. African American ethnic furniture is functional while reflecting the beliefs and traditional themes of the African ancestors.
(…don’t worry, it’s all legit, beautiful art from the some of our world’s most incredible cultural heartlands!)
An ancient country, India is full of diversity with cultures, traditions and lifestyles varying radically as you go from the North to the South and from the East to the West of the country. Exquisite, vibrant, spellbinding handicrafts have been the signature of Indian handicrafts for centuries. They have always been in demand by a world hungry for Indian artistry and craftsmanship.
All of these statistics give one the impression that all is well and good in India. This is a dreadfully wrong perception. The slums of New Delhi alone are home to 3 million of the poorest of the poor. These are people that have no education and no hopes of a better life for their children. That is, they have no hope without such programs as those of the Fair Trade groups.
In African languages there is no one single word for “art”. There are numerous words used to convey that something is beautiful or to refer to an item that has been made. The Bamana people have two phrases for the word sculpture, both of which translate to mean “things to look at”. In Mali the idea of “artist” is completely unlike what a Westerner would think of “artist”. In Mali the artist does not start the work with the idea of making something nice to look at; the idea is to create a piece that will be successful at performing a religious, magical or economic function.
Mali wedding beads are generally made in three shapes; flat triangular, flat elongated and bulb shaped. The colors are spectacular; every color of the rainbow is represented on a single strand of Mali wedding beads. Each bead is hand made and unique; some are solid color while others are marbled with swirls of color winding through the base color, some are striped to resemble a zebra coat and some are opalescent or translucent. No matter what their coloration, Mali beads are simply spectacular.
Appraisals are a tricky subject. When investing in art, demand at least one independent appraisal of the work. Galleries and artists alike are interested in profit. Therefore they are interested in the artwork being valued at the highest price possible. Galleries often get 50% of the sales price as commission so obviously, sales price is critical to their earnings.
Ancient pottery has been found all over Africa. The pottery was both for functional and ritual purposes. In addition to being used to carry water, cook and store food, pottery was also used for various rituals.
African pottery cannot be described in general terms. Africa is a very large, multi-cultural continent; each culture with its own religion, language, politics and traditions. The art, including pottery, of each culture is unique. While the design of a piece of pottery may be similar in some cultures, one culture will make use of it in ritual while another may use it to fetch water.
Many of the sites offer a Fair Trade disclosure guaranteeing that the African artisan is receiving a fair amount for his work. If you’re serious about Africa, I’d really push you to please buy from one of those sites – it’s a world of difference to the people and the culture’s you’re fascinated by.
A vast continent, Africa is home to several diverse cultural and ethnic groups. African figurine design is tribal specific allowing a peek into each tribe’s culture and customs. African figurines are not merely for decoration. Traditionally they were made in the belief that the figurine could bestow certain blessings or in the case of animal figures, they signify certain qualities of character.
