Here is a beautifully hand–carved warthog (“pumba” in Swahili) from Kenya, East Africa. This work of art was masterfully hand-crafted from a single block of richly grained teak by a special Akamba carver who lives in southern Kenya. This piece has been has been exquisitely carved to display the natural, rich lines of the teak wood, then polished to a high sheen. We have personally selected this piece for its realism, its beautifully carved lines and the rich grain in the highly polished wood. This is a very special and unique piece of artwork, not the roughly carved, mass-produced variety often seen in the open markets or the usual tourist shops. If you collect animal carvings, you will want this one! Warthogs are fun to watch as they graze on fresh grass or dig for roots. When they eat, they kneel down on their front knees. When caught in the open, warthogs break into a fast trot and their tail goes straight up in the air—looking like a radio antennae on a fleeing car! In rough woodsheds and under the shade of the mango trees, Akamba wood carvers work in a craft-cooperative, surrounded with sounds of chipping and sanding, men’s voices and laughter, occasional singing and the spicy, tangy smell of exotic woods. Here the craftsmen reduce single pieces of wood into useful and beautiful pieces of folk art, using only simple hand tools of axes, various-sized knives, files and sandpaper. The Akamba people are famous all over the world for their unique wood carving skills, which are passed from generation to generation. I have met Akamba men who were 5th generation wood carvers. This carver, however, is a Master of masters, in his beautifully detailed work and realistic carving. Free standing, this warthog carving stands approx. 6 inches tall, is 10 inches long. |