Day 1: Makonde Craft Village

The Makonde people are famous for their African blackwood carvings. We had the pleasure of visiting their main carving center in Mwenge in Dar es Salam. The center consisted of a series of small stalls that sold wooden carvings as well, decorative textiles, footwear and ornaments. Haggling over the price of merchandise was quite entertaining. The vendors were also extremely persistent.

The blackwood carvings aren’t only sold at the carving center, there are also made their. I was nice seeing the ornaments made. However, the conditions seemed quite uncomfortable. Most carvers sat on the ground, hunched over their blackwood.

While there carvings were nice, I wondered if their skills would be put to use for other wood products. Making $3 nick nacks for tourists is one thing, but I am sure their skills could be used for making decorative furniture, doors, windows panes, staircase banisters, etc. for export and domestic consumption. As the country develops maybe they will get more involved in the construction and home building sectors.