Handmade Products And The Artifacts In Africa Continent

Africa, being world’s second largest and second most populous continent after Asia. It was known as the oldest continent where fossils and human occupation was found. Domestication of cattle's in Africa existed prior to agriculture and hence appeared to coexist with the hunting gathering societies. Handmade products and artifacts were the major work for the African primitive society. According to surveys: Till today, as Agriculture is major to the economies of all African countries, as 70% of Africans rely on it for a living. Its expansion as a sector is critical to boosting wealth, food security, industrialization, intra-African commerce, and Africa's contribution to global trade. Including governments, commercial organizations, Agriculture's relevance and promise in developing sustainable, inclusive economies is recognized. Smallholder farmers improve their lives and see the immediate consequences of growth with ongoing investment. Introduction of technologies have emerged into their planting, harvesting, and storage practices, and many organizations tried to transform those places with it, yet many farmers rely on the primitive sources and continue to rely on traditional methods handed down through generations as there is a strong bond with the land and the nature itself. Whatever the source, the disparity between what farmers have and what they could employ to substantially enhance their lives is constant – but not overwhelming. Along with textiles, handmade products, idols, and cultural artifact's Africa has practical and utilitarian craft. The ‘craft’ is something that includes skills to produce it. Master craftsmen and women held a distinct place in society and were well-liked members of their communities. Expertise and traditional skills were highly valued.

Just like Northeast Asia, In many parts of Africa, art crafts and handmade products are most common elements, a basic standard way of living. Using natural fibres like silk, cotton, raffia, and Eco friendly textiles and methods, many societies have prioritized sustainable practices. From building houses to handmade products, Africa is rich in natural and sustainable materials such as timber, stone, sand and dry vegetation. While traditional construction techniques and methods includes rammed earth, sun dried bricks, timber framed construction, sandbag and thatched roofs. 

Fig 1- Cylindrical house

Moist earth or mud bricks were used to construct walls. The sun will then harden the homes. There are different types of house that are build in Africa, such as Round house, square house and Asante house(18th century, traditional clustered with other houses)- It has a pretty homogeneous construction with four rows of houses surrounding a wide yard, and it is made of wood, bamboo, gypsum and a thatched roof. 

Bamboo, one of the natural sources for many primitive societies, a annual crop that generates money and provides basic necessities in everyday life when people had to rely on natural things. It grows quickly and simple to nurture. It may be turned into a variety of objects including as furniture, boats, cooking utensils, incense sticks, charcoal, and footwear. Hence, as a result it is also referred as ‘Poor man’s timber’.

In Ethiopia, Bamboo is utilized  to protect watersheds, inter-crop, generate shade for other crops, as a windbreak, and as a natural mulch to give drought protection. They also utilize bamboo for firewood, fencing, and furniture, and bamboo shoots are occasionally used for food and animal feed.

Fig. 2- footwear made up of bamboo

Fig. 3- African bamboo spoons

Fig. 4- African baskets used for household

However, art and culture have been the major work for African culture.  This includes pottery/ ceramics, beadwork, busketry, wood curving. The authentic and unique crafts  gives a different type of art or handmade products that indicates skills and cultural identity of these primitive societies. 

Since thousands years ago, Beads were initially abstracted from organic resources in Africa from materials such as bone, shells, and seeds. Imported glass beads going back to the mid-11th century have recently been discovered in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

Fig. 5- Ancient bead 

Wood Curving, another natural objects which is rich in African primitive society. Earlier, these objects don’t have much art or designs. This objects is not a skilled ones rather this are believed as idols and their ancient traditional preserver.  

Fig. 8- Bamboo art

Bamboo arts that are modern artifacts, this are preserved and attracts many tourists. This is another sustainable product that not only brings the improvement of the Africa’s economy but also expands these traditional and cultural heritage. 

“According to Hans Friederich, the director general of INBAR, bamboo may be a powerful cornerstone of Africa's future green economy. He claims that it can help alleviate poverty and safeguard the environment, and that it offers a realistic and quick answer to some of the natural resource and poverty concerns that many African countries face today.”

There are other handmade products like basketry and hand bags.

Fig. 9. - Design handmade baskets - senegel

African ‘s Textiles- The skill and art of creating, designing, and embroidering African traditional fabrics dates back centuries. Till today, African textiles can serve as historical records. Cloth can be used to honour a person, an event, or even a political cause. Textile has also been utilised to transmit vital cultural information and has frequently played a significant role in celebrations and events. However, even with the new technologies and westernization, some African culture still use primary products for their sustainable needs.  One of the fascinating thing is they haven't changed their way of living for 10,000 years. Such tribes are worn by animal skin products and are known as Hadzabe Tribe. 

Historically,  they are nomadic but in terms of their basic needs they shift with the season. The Hadzabe inhabit caverns near Lake Eyasi. Members of this particular tribe dress in a more traditional manner by wrapping dried animal skins over their bodies. 

Fig. 10- House made of branches 

The Hadza tribe lives in extremely simple shelters during the dry season. Their dwellings are fashioned of branches and require only a few hours to construct.

During the wet season, however, the tribe relocates to adjacent caverns.

There has been another tribe which are known for “body painting”. The Karo tribe  are undoubtedly artistic. They are well-known for their enticing and complex body and face painting, among other things. They adorn their bodies with white chalk, yellow mineral rock, iron ore, and charcoal found locally. This is a time-consuming technique with patterns ranging from basic and delicate dots to rough yet impressive lines sketched with palms or fingers. Some of the spectacular body painting patterns they execute include animal themes such as the speckled plumage of the guinea fowl. 

They have different meaning for these body paintings- it could be used as a recognition of a warrior who defeated enemies, or some traditional outlook, glorify the beauty, and using it as a sunscreen because of the  climate change. 

Fig. 11- Karo tribe with body painting