A Makonde treasure

There were a number of locations around Dar es Salaam where African carvers gathered, chipping away at a hunk of ebony. I heard their tap, tap, chip, chip as I approached while my eyes spun around absorbing the curvaceous art pieces resting on the dirt. Tins of black boot polish lay scattered amongst their tools as ebony in Tanzania is a light coloured wood.

Dar es Salaam treasure

Ebony? In Tanzania it’s not the well-known bIack ebony. African carvers coat their finished art with black boot polish to resemble the sort-after dark cousin, but that wouldn’t do for something you want to eat from.

The Gentle Touch of Freshly Grated Coconut

Do you know what freshly grated coconut smells like compared with the dried packet stuff you buy in the supermarket? Once you’ve inhaled the aroma, you’re addicted. Even the soft touch of the white flesh over your fingers hints at the flavour.

Makonde, lost and found

I’ve moved over twelve times since leaving Dar es Salaam; from one apartment to another; from one continent to another. With every move, there are possessions to discard, keepsakes that get broken.