Batik Art Paintings

Mother and child
Batik card

Abstract

Maasai Women

The Traditional Dancers

Fetching water

Batik Art Paintings this comprises of painting simple sketches on fabric material, using light dyes and gradually progress to darker dyes. After each application of dye, molten wax is used as the media of separating the colours. sometimes the molten wax applied, is purposely cracked in an artistic way so as to create as certain pattern  on application of dye of the following stage of  the painting.  On completion of the painting, Molten wax is removed physically using both hands in a rhythm way, like someone washing a piece of cloth. Finally the remains of wax, is removed by applying hot iron  on the painting which has been enclosed between newspaper bottom and above it. The realised painting quality, will depend  highly on the quality of material used and the ability of the artist.
In Kilimanjaro region we have several Chagga batik artist. Kerita and Sam Kashinde are amongst the prominent ones. They also conduct batik art classes for beginners.
You are most welcome to Sanaa Zetu for your batik art paintings.Customer satisfaction is our motto.

Maasai Couple
Fine Batik

  

The market
Abstract Batik

Banana plant as a raw material source for Chagga artists and craftsmen plus other uses

The Chagga people, live in the slopes of mount Kilimanjaro. In those days in every homestead they grew a variety of Banana plants on their farm, namely Mshare,Matoke,Kimalindi,Nyelele,Kipungara,Kisukari,Mkojozi, Msusu, Ngombe and Kitarasa.Some of the Banana varieties, they used for cooking Chagga dishes, such as, Machalari, Mtori, Shiro, Ngande, Kitawa, Kitalolo, roasted or fried green bananas commonly used at breakfast instead of bread and Kiumbo.It should be noted by then Bananas was the staple food of the Wachagga. But with intermarriages it is no longer the case,maize took over as staple food.And rice was regarded as a special food and it was cooked only on Sundays or on special occasions. On the other varieties, some are used as raw material for preparing Chagga local brew Mbege and in recent years Banana wine. And others when ripe as fruits. After banana harvest, the left over of the plant is used as food for cattle, goats and sheep. The leaves of the plant which have dried off is used as bedding material in the cattle barn, so as to keep the herd dry and warm especially during cold season. The cow dung with the used beddings is then spread on the banana farm as manure.     

Above we can see a person holding a banana bunch.On the ground we can see dry banana leaf this material is mostly used for beddings in cattle barns. And on the banana stem we can see its outer core which has dried off. Artists,crafts people and builders use it as raw material. The artist carefully peel off the fibre from the stem s dry outer core. The extracted fibre has a combination of colours, ranging from Black to white, with exceptions of Red, Green, Blue and Purple. The artist and craftsmen use the fibre to make a wide range of products, namely decorative (Portraits and wall hangings) , utility (rope,cooking pot support-ngata, table mats,lampsheds, storage baskets, picture frames etc) and personal use(jewelry,bookmarks,Purses, hand bags etc) .

Below we can see some decorative products.

 

And here are some of the utility products.

 

For ladies personal use we have earrings here below. Craftsmen also make hand purse and shoulder bags.

Flamingos
 Banana Fibre fabrics combination

Maasai women
 Banana Fibre fabrics combination

Maasai women fetching water
 Banana Fibre fabrics combination

The other use of the banana fibre material is as roofing material for thatching the roof of Chagga house. This type of material was commonly used by Wachagga of Machame.
You are most welcome to Sanaa Zetu for your Banana fibre made products and other varieties. Customer satisfaction is our motto.

CHAGGA SOFT WOOD CARVERS AT WORK

Hi! Today i want to show you some digital images of the Chagga soft wood carvers whilst working and i will give you a brief explanation as we go along.

Above Stewart Minja preparing the initial rough stage of the piece wood to be carved. And behind him there is a tray which he has already carved.

                                          Above Moses Mlay carving the inside of a wooden bowl.

               Above softwood carver of Mamba Msae working on the inside of a wooden tray.

                                        Elia Mlay chiselling the inside of musical drum frame.

                       Above Moses Mlay shaving the inside of a wooden tray using a wood shaver.

                        Above Moses Minja doing the finishing touches on a salad server.

Above Gillead Minja doing the finishing touches on a  wooden container for putting small things like jewelry.

Above Mzee Rodrick Minja working on the inside of a wooden container. He is amongst the oldest  few, softwood carvers who still carve.

                           Moses Mlay decorating a carved piece using scorching technique.

                            Above Moses Mlay  scorch decorate a carved musical drum.

                                     Moses Mlay scorch decorate a carved salad server.

Moses Mlay,  scorch decorating a wooden bowl whilst Elia Mlay maintains the fire at red hot, by using a blower made from goat skin. Fire is used for heating scorching tools.

                Elia Mlay doing the finishing touches on a carved wooden musical drum.

       A softwood carver of Mamba Msae doing sanding work on a carved wooden oval bowl.

                                  Elia Mlay doing the finishing touches on salad servers.

                                                   Some of the scorching tools and blower.

                     Blogger Paul Siairuka Njau visiting late Dawson Mboya at his workshop/ home, Mamba Masiha.

                 Blogger Paul Siairuka Njau chiseling on the inside of a wooden musical drum frame, at Mamba Msae softwood carvers workshop.

A British man trying to shave the inside of a wooden bowl at Mamba Msae softwood carvers workshop.

If you are interested to visit soft wood carvers, we can always arrange that for you, i hope you have learnt something from the digital images.

                                                SANAA ZETU

Dealers of : Home Accessories,souvenirs, curios and gift items. 

                                    And it is always there to cater for your needs.
                                                          KARIBU

CHAGGA ARTS AND CRAFTS OF TODAY

The  chagga craftsmen of today still carve utility products with nice decorations or figurine add - on, they also  carve products for interior wall decoration, games and toys for children etc.

carved container

Carved container

This containers can be used as sugar pots or  as container for 
storing small items such as jewelry.

Salt and pepper container

                                                            

crocodile bowl

                          

Rhino Tray

                                                                   

Cheetah tray

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                  

Chagga  Mask

Chagga  Mask ( wall decoration)

                                                                      

Carved Land Rover

 Carved VW Beetle

                                                           

                                                                                   

                                                                                                     

                                 

           Tourist  overland truck

                                                 

Tractor Carved

Honda Motor bike

Decorated tray

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                     

Mboriko Bowl
decorated with elephant motif

                                                                                                                                                                                              

 Giraffes Bowl

                                                                                                                         

Mboriko Bowl
decorated with Leopard motif

Song of Kilimanjaro


                                                        

Some of the scorching decoration used by the Chagga soft wood carvers.

 When you are in Kilimanjaro and you want to buy a souvenir, go for indigenous arts and craft

And

 Sanaa Zetu 

Is there to cater for your needs.

With its wide range of products apart from the indigenous one.

 Customer satisfaction is our motto.

You are most welcome       

 KARIBU

         

.