$15.00
Our musical shakers are hand crafted from natural dried gourds and local wood. They are made by a craftswoman, Petronille Uwimana, who has over 20 years of experience. Select shakers have also been made by Paul Nzabonimpaye, who passed away in 2011. His legacy lives on in his craft as well as in his son Hezekiah, who Paul trained up as a woodcarver.
How does Petronille make her musical shakers? Once her gourds are grown, harvested, hollowed and dried, the art can begin. Petronille takes her specially-made tools and heats them to red-hot in a charcoal fire. Then she carefully pushes the hot metal rod through the dried gourd, forming a pattern with each small hole that is created. She has to be careful to make enough holes to bring out her design and create a good shaker sound, but not so many that the gourd becomes weak. Petronille then carves the shaker handle from a branch of a local tree, creating a simple design with black paint over the engraved wood. She fills the gourd with a handful of flower seeds, glues on the handle, and voila- a musical shaker has been born.
Please note that our musical shakers are not intended to be children’s toys.
4 in stock
| Weight | 7 oz |
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Our Artisan
Partners
Azizi Life partners with over 30 independent groups in Rwanda - over 500 artisans... and growing! Rising from the horrors of genocide, artisans from all backgrounds have joined together once again through their art. With their fair trade income, parents are caring for the health, nutrition, and education of their children. Families are building better homes. Women are rising out of crippling dependency to become contributors in their communities. Our artisan partners have a vision to be leaders for wholeness in their community, and we are privileged to partner with them.
Our
Products
Azizi Life offers a range of products skillfully crafted from locally-sourced, natural fibers such as sisal, banana leaf, and forest grasses. Our line of baskets highlights some of the best of Rwandan traditional and modern design. Artisans and designers collaborate to create new designs and products in our lines of baskets, home goods, and holiday décor.
Our Mission
Azizi Life is a faith-based social enterprise in Rwanda committed to sustainability, collaboration, and putting people first – artisans and customers alike. Founded in 2008 under the international NGO Food for the Hungry, Azizi Life has become a bridge to connect hardworking artisans to the global market. In addition to flourishing sales in Rwanda, Azizi Life offers products to US customers from our warehouse in Spokane, Washington, as well as FOB sales directly from Rwanda.
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