Skip to content
Call Us: +256782105855 Email: info@gorillatrackings.com | sales@gorillatrackings.com
How And Where To Buy Souvenirs, Curios & African Art

How and Where to Buy Souvenirs, Curios & African Art

How and Where to Buy Souvenirs, Curios & African Art.

Bringing a little something home is still a top priority when we visit the world. Unfortunately, it’s hard to locate something really unique these days because of the huge number of tourists and the shoppers’ preference for inexpensive things.

The African Curio Economy in the Present

The sale of crafts and curios is the foundation of Africa’s sizable unofficial economy. Wood carving, wire crafts, basketry, ceramics, jewelry, and even painting are examples of this in the past. Unfortunately, because the average tourist prefers inexpensive, colorful products with a distinctly “African” style, many of the finer craft techniques have been lost as a result of consumer demands.

For a creative entrepreneur, nothing is more suffocating (and depressing) than having to meet this kind of restrictive and prescriptive demand in order to maintain his firm.

Since survival depends on sales, these business owners, who are frequently the only providers for a family, work hard and proudly. The products are made by skilled craftspeople and sold in bulk to shops; third-world commerce imitates first-world practices.

However, just because these things are produced in large quantities does not imply that they are any less beautiful or valuable. I strongly advise you to purchase a small beaded keyring, wire vehicle, or wooden carving because of their amazing delicacy and detail.How and Where to Buy Souvenirs, Curios & African Art

The African Curio, manufactured in China

South Africa has been flooded with Far Eastern-made goods, much like the rest of the world. Commonly found in curio markets are necklaces and other jewelry, which are in high demand due to their ambiguous ‘tribal’ appearance. They’re also inexpensive. This ‘jewellery’ is offered for sale in markets and roadside stalls all over Africa.

Cape Town’s Greenmarket Square is home to many inexpensive, Chinese imports in addition to some wonderful local artisans.

Craft Adaptation into Art

However, this isn’t always the case; some artisans have maintained their level of success while continuing to create their own products with artistic integrity. Maintaining creativity and commercial viability is an art in and of itself, and this is where genuine artistry and originality arise.

Keep an eye out for these treasures and bring home something that will remain appealing years from now, removed from its “African” setting.

Craft in Africa

Malawi has long been recognized for its exceptionally skilled woodcarvers. Malawi has a variety of objects, including a whole Noah’s Ark with animals, hollowed globes that serve as containers, and adorable huge fish. Although there is a decent assortment of wood carvings in Lilongwe’s Central Market, Nkhata Bay on Lake Malawi offers a distinctive collection. Its closeness to some of Malawi’s rare surviving forests is most likely the cause of this.

The Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania are well-known across the world for their traditional clothing, especially their elaborate and vividly colored jewelry. Numerous classic images of a Maasai tribesman or woman wearing jewelry have served as inspiration for international fashion businesses. There are always a few pieces of jewelry for sale in the majority of the Masai Mara region’s settlements. To learn more about Maasai life, this is typically combined with a trip to a village.

The country that has most successfully blurred the distinctions between craft, art, and design is most likely South Africa. The design business in Cape Town is booming and includes African influences, but it presents itself in a very modern way. Craft, modern design, and fashion may be found at The Watershed, located in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront.

A visit to Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct is also highly recommended if you want to see what South African artists and designers are up to.

The greatest areas to get African wax print fabrics are most likely Rwanda and Uganda, as well as most of West Africa. Women all around the continent wear these vibrantly colored textiles. Fabric usually has its own section in the major markets, and on-site tailors can create anything you like.