Souvenir Shopping in East Africa
Buying Carvings, Textiles, and Baskets in Kenya and Tanzania
Mar 1, 2009
Travelers on an East African safari will find plenty of souvenirs in hotels and game resorts, in market stalls, and in city shops. In markets, the asking price will be more than twice the normal selling price is, sometimes more. To get a feel for the going rate, compare notes with fellow travelers, and ask tour-guides for a basic primer on what things cost.
In the larger shops in Nairobi, Arusha, Moshi, and Mombassa, there is less room for negotiation, but shoppers can almost always ask for a discount, especially when buying several items.
Wood Carvings in Kenya and Tanzania
Ebony wood carvings of people and animals are an art form in East Africa. The famous Makonde carvings of southeastern Tanzania include figurines of people (such as Masai warriors), representations of families and spirits, as well as candlesticks, salt and pepper shakers, salad forks and spoons, and wooden chalices. Prices for smaller carvings start at a few dollars; for a fine high-quality 4-foot tall statue in ebony, the price might be several hundred dollars.
The Wakamba of Kenya have also made carving a specialty. To buy carvings directly from the makers, go to the Wakamba "factory" in Mombassa, a large workshop where visitors can watch the carvings being made.
Traditionally, carvings are made of hardwoods such as mahogany and ebony. Ebony actually has a light-colored bark and a cream-colored outer wood; it is the heartwood that is almost black. Some of the most beautiful ebony carvings keep some of the light outer wood; the light outside can act as a sort of a frame for the dark wood sculpture. Some unscrupulous salespeople paint the outside of ordinary wood with shoe polish to make it look like ebony, so buyer beware.
Masks are sold widely in East Africa, but some of the masks available in East Africa are actually West African. The difference is usually quite obvious, but if you haven't learned to identify the different styles, ask.
A completely different kind of woodwork is available in Swahili cities such as Zanzibar and Lamu. Elaborately carved doors and furniture - both new and antique - are available for the serious shopper. Note, however, that the Swahili people have been trading with outsiders for millennia. A tourist may bring (or ship) home a treasured keepsake, but the price won't necessarily be cheap.
Masai Souvenirs
The nomadic cattle-herding Masai people live on the border of Kenya and Tanzania, near the major safari reserves of Masai Mara and Serengeti. The markets of Arusha and Moshi sell Masai handicrafts.
- Masai blankets are plaid blankets of a rough cotton-polyester blend (often made in India). The blankets are usually red, with various geometric patterns in white, yellow, or blue. They make lightweight souvenirs that can be used as picnic blankets and tablecloths back home. The cost is a few dollars.
- Masai beadwork is beautiful and very detailed, although the large dramatic neck pieces are probably more appropriately displayed by westerners as art works than worn as pieces of jewelry.
- Masai shields and spears are available in the markets of Moshi and Arusha. The spears come apart, so they can be packed in checked luggage.
Other East African Souvenirs: Textiles, Baskets, Jewelry, Soapstone,
- Traditional baskets called kiondos are beautiful, with prices starting about $10 or $15, depending on size and complexity.
- Textiles include weavings, batiks, and the kanga (a woman’s sarong that usually has a motto printed on it) and kitenge (a sarong with no message).
- Necklaces of trade beads, hand-made beads, and stone beads are widely available
- Soapstone carvings, bowls, plates and cups starts at a few dollars. They are beautiful -- but fragile.
Don't get too caught up in the frenzy of the African market: No matter how exciting the shops in East Africa, and how wonderful the souvenirs, the most valued keepsakes most travelers on an East African safari bring home will be their photographs.
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