Wood Carving in Ukambani...

Nickson M. Mwania

Wood carving started in Ukambani at a small village called Mwamunyu after the 2^nd world war.  Nickson M Mwania said that his grandfather Mutisia Munge was send to Mozambique during the 2^nd world war to fight and it is during the world war two that his grandfather learnt from the indigenous people of Mozambique how to do  carving using the horn.

Nickson Mwania said when his grandfather came back home from world war two,he had already gained the knowledge and wanted to put it in to practice so his first carving was on a tree just nearby his house (a face of a human being).  

The tree still stands to date with the carving work of Mutisia Munge in Ukambani – Mwamunyu village.

Nickson Mwania said the grandfather was selfish with the knowledge, he did not want to share and therefore he did his carvings in secrecy, he first build a house but with stairs from down, and to go in to that house he had to use a ladder which would be removed by his wife after he entered the house to work and he would call for the ladder when he is done for the day. 

Mutisia kept the knowledge to himself for a long time; however he decided to share the knowledge with one of his best friends in the village, later the friend shared with others who were interested in wood carving. And this is how wood carving spread to other parts of the country.

Nickson Mwania is still doing wood carving to date and he said he uses

Tools:

• A small shoka
• Kisu cha kuchongowa
• Msasa

 Wood:

•   Hard wood
•   Ebony

 Color:

•  Natural color
•  Dye (Brown/Black

STORY BY

NICKSON M. MWANIA  (58 YEARS)

MOMBASA.