About Akamba

   MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

   Hello everyone.!!. I take this opportunity to welcome you all to our society’s online shop. Here we do showcase and sell a very wide variety of original handicrafts all which are individually handcrafted by gifted artisans who are members of Akamba Handicraft industry Cooperative society Ltd. I am sure you will have a wonderful shopping experience as you through category after category of authentic handmade African handicrafts.

  HISTORY OF WOOD CARVING

        The craft of woodcarving was introduced to the Akamba people especially those from Wamunyu area of Machakos county in the Eastern part of the Republic of Kenya by returning soldiers from the area who had been conscripted to fight for the British colonial administration during the First world war .The returning soldiers learnt the craft while fighting in the first war alongside soldiers conscripted from the Makonde people from the republic of Mozambique who were talented in sculpturing of human figures from hard wood.

     Among the pioneers of woodcarving craft in wamunyu area was one MUTISYA MUNGE. He started the craft of wood carving in 1916 where he made sculptures of Kenyan wild animals and of Maasai warriors. He was selling his carvings to the army men during the First World War in 1917.After the war ended he returned to his home area where he continued with wood carving. His carvings were first displayed in Machakos in 1926 was awarded the first award by the Colonial Government. The display and show in Machakos created interest to Munge’s relatives and neighbors and he started teaching the practice to them. Mr. Mutisya Munge died in 1929 and was buried at his home in Warungu.

    Due to popularity of the Akamba woodcarvings the trade grew very fast and within twenty since death of Mutisya Munge wood carvings from wamunyu were being sold in countries of the Eastern Africa and extending to Southern Rhodesia (Botswana) .There after which Akamba men started moving to Central Africa, Congo and then all over the world trading and teaching the art of Woodcarving.

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