African arts and crafts

Africraft Safari gifts  feature genuine traditional, modern and contemporary African Arts and Crafts that makes unique and exotic gifts and collectibles at best prices.We carry a wide range of authentic hand-made wood carvings, soapstone sculptures, masks, organic african jewelrys, african baskets, beaded jewelry, dashiki shirts, kangas/sarongs, african dresses, batiks, banana fibre art, and original paintings by African artists.

African Art and Crafts

Africa is one of the most diverse continents, consisting of over fifty countries and more than two thousand languages spoken. Africa offers an amazingly rich cultural diversity. The arts and crafts created by these cultures reflect the beauty and the values that make Africa so unique.

Most African art and crafts are characterized by common themes that serve as representations of different things that are significant to African culture; and reveal the importance behind some of its most beautiful African art and crafts. Most of these themes include a couple, a woman carrying a child, a male with a weapon (warriors), or an outsider/ stranger.

What people wear is usually dependent on their faith, culture, and the weather in their areas, or some combination of those. Generally though, Africans tend to favor durable, natural fibers, and clothing that is both useful and beautifully made. There has been alot of crossover in style influences between Africa and Asia. You are just as likely to see people wearing caftans in both regions. Silk is also popular in Africa for those who can afford it. Egyptian cotton is recognized as among the best, and is sought after in Asia and around the world.

Sarongs/Pareo/Kanga

Sarongs are single pieces of fabric wrapped around the body and worn as a skirt or a full-body wrap. In much of the South Pacific, including Hawaii and Tahiti, sarongs are known as pareoskangas, and throughout India they may be known as , mundu. Here are some of the ways that sarongs are used: Skirt, bathing suit cover-up, dress toga, shawl / scarf, wall or framed art, beach blanket, turban, or fabric to make clothing.

Batiks

Batik is the most widespread art of handmade cloths in Africa. 'Batik' is a method of dyeing fabrics by applying wax to the areas which are to be left uncolored. The process by which the Batik is created involves the worker spreading a piece of cloth out, dipping a sponge into molten paraffin wax and applying the wax to the areas that will remain uncolored. The waxed cloth is then dyed to achieve the beautiful designs. The 'feathered' or 'veined' appearance is achieved by scrunching the waxed cloth, causing hair-line cracks in the wax, which allows the dye through to the cloth.

African Jewelry

African jewelry is mostly handcrafted from truly organic materials such as animal horn, bone, amber and various types of woods or natural seeds. Most African culture places great emphasis on appearance and therefore on jewelry. African jewelry has been given tremendous attention for centuries and it owns a useful and beautiful part of African culture today. Many pieces of African jewelry contain cowry shells. They are not only beautiful but also symbolic!
Our fine African jewelries are handcrafted meaning they are absolutely unique African jewelry in origin and design. For those who prefer a more natural look and feel, organic body jewelry can be a great alternative. Each piece is true piece of African art. It is also thought to be the most eco friendly way to wear your jewelry.

Ceremonial sculptures, masks, crafts are produced by African tribal cultures, as well as by the African cultures of colonial and post-colonial periods. Generally African art means sub-Saharan art, with the cultures of Africa's northern parts typically referred to as Egyptian and North African. Making generalizations about the visual culture of any group of people is a crude endeavor, especially with a culture as diverse as Africa's.

In Africa, south of the Sahara, wood is the natural material for carving. In the 20th century sculpture in wood is still very much a living tradition. Examples from the 19th century have been preserved in reasonable number, largely by the efforts of collectors. But earlier work has crumbled irretrievably, eaten by ants or rotted by damp. Even so, the body of art surviving to us in this tradition is immensely rich. Tribal carving is done for a clear and practical purpose. A figure may represent an ancestor, destined to stand in a shrine. A mask may be intended for use by a shaman just once a year in a special dance. A post may be designed to prop up a chief's verandah or to form part of a palisade round his house. An elaborate chair is likely to be for the chief himself to sit on. All of them will be better if carved in a dramatic or propitious way. Whatever the reason for the range of tribal art, the result is an unrivalled display of the power of the imagination. The basic subject, as in western sculpture, is the human body. But the tribal sculptor is liberated from the straitjacket of realism.

Masks are representative of many different things in African history and culture. Ancestry is very important to the African people to show honor to their ancestors. They design the masks with elaborate hair and jewelry to show great wealth and honor so their ancestors will be pleased with them and bring blessings. Ancestors are greatly to be feared if they are angered, so the people are very careful to be honoring to them at all times. Masks are greatly revered in African culture.

Many masks are used in ceremonies generally depicting deities, spirits of ancestors, mythological beings, good and or evil spirits, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity.