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Soapstone carvings

Wood carvings

Contemporary art work 

African dolls and wire toys

Jewelleries

Musical instruments

Pottery

Basketry (Kiondos)

Nubian basketry

Banana fiber utility items

Batiks, batik post cards and collage

 

 

 

The Nubian Basket is made by Nubian women.  Most of the Nubian community live in the slums of Kibera.  They migrated to Kenya from southern Sudan during the first world war.  The Nubians are predominantly Muslims. Their cultural bonds is therefore also very much influenced by their religion. The Nubian group is not only cohesive but rather conservative. This could be attributed by the groups awareness of their origin and need to avoid loosing their identity hence the need for togetherness of their origin and the passing of the same values to generations after a generation particularly at this time of an ever changing society due to cultural and socio-economic factor and dynamic intermingling in the multi-cultural mode of life particualrly in the urban squatter/slum settlement areas. 

Their dressing is too distinct to the Nubian community thus traditional Swahili leso popularly known as Khangas. The Khangas cotton material too happen to be some of products that Crafts of Africa sells.  The Swahili leso carry a lot of meaningful and educative Swahili proverbs and messages of wisdom. 

The baskets are made from African palm leaf and Natural dyes from tree/plants including other commercial colouring dyes. The products are brightly coloured and skillfully done. However, emphasis on high quality maintenance and producing colours to the taste of the customer is also important. 

Like many basketry groups, the Nubian women are also known to pass time chatting and making their products even during the very late hours of the night.  With the ever-increasing social economic hardship in the country, the weaving of various brightly coloured Nubian basketry has come to be taken as an important household income activity. The group is known to make high quality utility products such as fruit bowls, food covers, shopping baskets, trays, floor mats and even wall hanging decorative items.  The groups source the raw materials from the riverbeds within and outside the city.  The dyes used are sourced locally.  The skills of weaving the Nubian product is passed to the younger generation by their elderly members. The basket making is not only rooted to the group tradition or culture but it also forms a significant source of home based income generating activity for the family.  

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