Kenya

Wood carving remains an integral form of artistic expression and livelihood in Kenya. Wood workers still make items for daily household use, including bowls, cooking utensils, and furniture. Many wood workers belong to cooperatives, such as the Wamunyu Wood Carvers Cooperative near Machakos, which promote free trade between craftsmen and consumers. This allows them to receive a sustainable income and focus on their art.

FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS

Meshack Ndunda Kivuva is one of the prolific artists among the Wamunyu wood carvers. He learned wood carving from his father and specializes in the style of the Akamba community. His pieces portray social themes and are an example of mastery of the art.

Mutunga Japheth Munya is a renowned wood carver and member of the Wamunyu wood carvers cooperative of Kitui County. He developed an interest in wood carving at an early age, and after practicing this art for more than twenty years he is now among the most skilled carvers in the region.

Meshack Ndunda Kivuva and Mutunga Japheth Munya demonstrate wood carving.

Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution

In a discussion session about “Crafts from the Land” on the Boma Stage, Meshack Ndunda Kivuva talks about carving figures out of locally found wood.

Photo by Hermine Dreyfuss, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution

A horse’s figure takes shape in the hands of a skilled wood carver.

Photo by Walter Larrimore, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution

A wooden figure comes to life with detailed carving by Mutunga Japheth Munya.

Photo by Hermine Dreyfuss, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution

Surrounded by tools of the trade, Mutunga Japheth Munya makes a small carving.

Photo by Walter Larrimore, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution