Kenyan handicraft sector thrives on Jua Kali energy

Craft women and men during Craft Afrika seminar last week at Shalom House in Nairobi 

By MARGARETTA WA GACHERU, margacheru@gmail.com

Indigenous Kenyans have been involved in the creation of handicraft since the early 20th century when the Kamba people began carving giraffes, lions and hippos for an incipient tourist market.

A century later, the craft industry is one of the most vibrant, dynamic and burgeoning arena of the creative economy.

Today, Kamba carvers still create so-called curios, only now they’re being sold for millions of shillings, as is the nine foot tall giraffe that stands proudly on Mama Ngina Street in the front window of Kumba Kumba Art Gallery in Nairobi.

And today, the craft sector has diversified to such a degree that young Kenyans are hand-making and marketing everything from customised clocks and baby clothes to children’s books, leather belts and handbags to beaded jewellery and home furnishings of all types.

In a sense, they all could be called Jua Kali since they are all self-employed and part of the country’s thriving informal sector. Many are young enterprising youths keen on getting their crafts on display and in the open market.

One big difference between the craft scene back then and now is that many young craftsmen and women have taken their small businesses online.

That’s what Manciry Migwi did after attending a Google-sponsored online business training course two years back. Since then, she sells her men’s fashion items not only on her website

www.manciry.kbo.co.ke, but also on Facebook and through her Twitter and email accounts.

“I also make house calls when my clients invite me to their homes to see my men’s fashions,” said Manciry, noting that she uses only handmade Kenyan textiles to create everything from men’s jackets, shirts and trousers to customised ties and other accessories.

Claire Naila, publisher of JC Niala Books, also sells her children’s books online at www.jcnaila.com. But she also coordinates the Waldorf Eco-Fair, which takes place annually and sells only eco-friendly health foods and sustainable lifestyle products.

Naila was one of three other craft fair coordinators on a panel organised late last week at Shalom House, at the headquarters of CraftAfrika, an umbrella organisation cum network providing training and valuable information to up-and-coming mostly-Kenyan craft-based entrepreneurs.

Not all the nearly 100 crafts people who showed up for last Friday’s panel were Kenyan, however.

Several were either from the Senegambia, Ethiopia or Honduras in Central America. Nonetheless, all who came were keen to hear and discuss of the issue of “understanding Kenyan craft fairs.’

Besides Naila, they also wanted to hear from Kealleigh Bell of the 39-year-old Ngong Race Course Christmas Fair, events planner Caroline Mbindyo who runs Bizarre Bazaar, and Linet Anderson, general manager of the Nairobi Fashion Market.

All four panellists had been called by CraftAfrika director Christine Gitau who also chaired a lively discussion following the three managers’ description of how to apply to exhibit at their respective fairs and the sort of quality and high standards are expected for crafts people to participate in their fairs.

The oldest and biggest annual fair is by far the Christmas Fair held in early December.